The burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on the health and well-being of the population in the developing world is considerable. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 340 million new cases of curable STIs in the world each year; 174 million new cases of trichomoniasis, 92 million new cases of Chlamydia infection, 62 million cases of gonorrhea, and 12 million n...

To make blood components and blood products safe, many safety measures are applied to avoid transfusion-transmitted infections. Defining a balanced safety policy is not easy, we face several dilemmas: How safe should blood be? Should we opt for maximal or optimal safety? Are perceived threats real and relevant? Should blood be clean while food, air, or mosquitoes are not? Is vCJD still a threat...

Modifications in donor screening and the introduction of laboratory testing of donated blood for anti-HIV-1 and anti-HTLV-I have resulted in a significant reduction in the risks of retroviral infections from blood transfusion. Presently, the American Red Cross detects an average of eight carriers of human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) per 100,000 otherwise acceptable blood donors (0.00...

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) remains a taboo subject when associated with older people. Elizabeth Grigg advises nurses to consider, without prejudice, the possibility of STI in older people.

Pediatric nurse practitioners may be called on to conduct an assessment for sexual abuse of a young child. Depending on the type of sexual contact, a decision may have to be made to obtain cultures for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Recognizing the symptoms of STIs in preadolescent children, along with having knowledge of the modes of transmission, diagnostics, and treatment, are part ...

Despite efforts to control the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), these infections are still highly prevalent in the developing world, especially in Africa where the prevalence and incidence of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is also very high. Unfortunately, women bear the disproportionate burden of both STIs and HIV in this region. Early diagnosis, treatment and prevention o...

Clinical Medicine Vol 8 No 3 June 2008 323 © Royal College of Physicians, 2008. All rights reserved. HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) which causes AIDS and death in most of those infected after a median of 8–10 years. Where antiretroviral therapy is available, HIV is now regarded as a manageable chronic condition. Prevention remains a high priority and the potential to reduce the n...