REVIEW   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2021 September;23(3):51-5

DOI: 10.23736/S1128-9155.21.00523-9

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Sexually transmitted infections: advances in understanding

Flavia PIGLIACELLI ✉, Andrea D’ARINO, Aldo MORRONE, Antonio CRISTAUDO

San Gallicano IRCCS Dermatological Institute, Rome, Italy

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a large group of infectious diseases, which are mainly transmitted by sexual contact. They are widespread worldwide and can cause acute symptoms, chronic infections, and serious long-term complications. STIs are transmitted by any type of sexual intercourse, by infected blood and its derivatives or by direct passage from infected mother during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. From the data published by the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 million STIs are acquired every day in the world. Hence, these diseases represent a serious public health problem, and their treatments absorb huge financial resources. The aim of this paper was to summarize epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatments of the most common STIs.

KEY WORDS: Sexually transmitted diseases; Syphilis; Gonorrhea