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Toward Eliminating Sexually Transmitted Infections: Monitoring, Evaluating Global Progress, Equity...
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Toward Eliminating Sexually Transmitted Infections: Monitoring, Evaluating Global Progress, Equity and Sustainability

A special issue of Venereology (ISSN 2674-0710).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 3500

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Phuong The Nguyen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center for Health Policy and Economics, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS), Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo 186-8601, Japan
Interests: Universal health coverage; infectious diseases; HIV/AIDS; COVID-19; reproductive mother, newborn, and child health; non-communicable diseases; cancers; financial risk protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Stuart Gilmour

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
Interests: quantitative health systems assessment; statistics; simulation; modeling; epidemiology; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The elimination of sexually transmitted infections (STI), a major public health concern, is a critical milestone in the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and other health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To achieve these ambitious targets, monitoring and evaluating the framework of UHC with accessibility, affordability, and availability of STI prevention and treatment services are key to supporting government and policymakers in timely adaptation of national policies and programs.

In this Special Issue, we aim to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evidence-based information on the current progress of global STI control and management, monitoring and evaluating the equity and sustainability of STI prevention and treatment services and other dimensions of the UHC framework, including financial protection for using STI services.

We are seeking submissions of original research on STI epidemiology, economic evaluation, and inequality analysis. Solid brief reports, systematic reviews, clinical studies, and research protocols are also welcome.

Dr. Phuong The Nguyen
Prof. Dr. Stuart Gilmour
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Venereology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • STI elimination
  • Universal Health Coverage
  • Treponema pallidum
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • congenital syphilis
  • human papillomavirus
  • HIV/AIDS
  • monkeypox

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 580 KB  
Article
Syphilis Burden and Aneurysm Correction Outcomes in Brazil (2010–2024): Regional Disparities and Economic Impacts
by Gabriel Kaleb Martins, Sophia Cyane Souza Carvalho, Maria Eduarda Dantas Reis, Grazielly Ferreira Dias, Gabriela Lopes Jesus, João Victor Lima and Cláudio Firmino Dantas
Venereology 2025, 4(4), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/venereology4040016 - 10 Dec 2025
Viewed by 212
Abstract
Background: Syphilis, a major sexually transmitted infection, may contribute to cardiovascular complications, impacting hospital outcomes and costs. This study evaluates the association between syphilis burden and hospitalization outcomes (cost, length of stay, and aneurysm mortality) across Brazilian regions from 2010 to 2024. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: Syphilis, a major sexually transmitted infection, may contribute to cardiovascular complications, impacting hospital outcomes and costs. This study evaluates the association between syphilis burden and hospitalization outcomes (cost, length of stay, and aneurysm mortality) across Brazilian regions from 2010 to 2024. Methods: Using Brazil’s national healthcare database (n = 405 state-year observations), we classified states by syphilis burden (high, low, intermediate) based on hospitalization rates. Outcomes included average hospitalization cost (R$), length of stay (days), and aneurysm mortality rate (per 100,000). Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, ANCOVA models adjusted for hospital complexity and year, and sensitivity analyses (alternative thresholds, outlier removal) were conducted. Regional trends and economic impacts were assessed. Results: High syphilis burden was associated with shorter hospital stays (β = 2.11, p = 0.0008, Cohen’s d = −0.484, power = 0.937) but not with cost (β = 37.6, p = 0.758) or mortality (β = −0.077, p = 0.951). Syphilis incidence correlated moderately with hospitalizations (r = 0.422) but not with aneurysm mortality (Spearman ρ = −0.065, p = 0.193). Total costs (2010–2024) were R$17.7 M (high burden), R$1.9 M (low), and R$12.0 M (intermediate). Regional analyses revealed significant interactions in Nordeste and Norte for length of stay (p = 0.013–0.033). Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness (Adjusted R2 = 0.049–0.273). Conclusion: High syphilis burden is linked, ecologically, to reduced hospital stays, potentially reflecting fewer complex cases, with substantial economic costs. Regional disparities highlight the need for targeted STI prevention. These findings inform health policy to mitigate syphilis-related hospital burdens in Brazil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Eliminating Sexually Transmitted Infections: Monitoring, Evaluating Global Progress, Equity and Sustainability)
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13 pages, 352 KB  
Article
Diagnostic Utility of Human Papilloma Virus Testing in Comparison with Pap Cytology and Histopathology in Unvaccinated Women with Cervical High-Grade Dysplasia and Carcinoma in Botswana
by Patricia Setsile Rantshabeng, Nametso Dire, Andrew Khulekani Ndlovu and Ishmael Kasvosve
Venereology 2025, 4(4), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/venereology4040015 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 449
Abstract
Background/Objective: High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is an established causative agent for the malignant transformation of cervical cells that can be detected using the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test. A call by the World Health Organization (WHO) for global collective efforts towards eliminating cervical cancer [...] Read more.
Background/Objective: High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is an established causative agent for the malignant transformation of cervical cells that can be detected using the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test. A call by the World Health Organization (WHO) for global collective efforts towards eliminating cervical cancer has endorsed hrHPV DNA testing as an alternative screening test. The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic utility of hrHPV DNA testing in detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) in unvaccinated women with abnormal Pap smears and histopathologically confirmed CIN3 and carcinoma. Methods: This study included 111 cervical tissues with a histopathological confirmation of the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade (CIN3) and malignancy. Tissues were sectioned, dewaxed, and digested, and DNA was extracted and tested for hrHPV using the Abbott RealTime HR HPV assay. Pap smear results associated with the tissue samples were extracted from corresponding clinical records, and data was analyzed using R-statistical software. Results: Extracted Pap smear records for the 111 cervical tissue samples indicated that 89 (80.2%) had a high-grade intraepithelial lesion (Pap-HSIL), 20 (18%) had squamous cell carcinoma (Pap-SCC), and two (1.8%) had Pap-adenocarcinoma. A total of 68/89 (76.4%) of Pap-HSIL, 15/20 (75%) of Pap-SCC, and ½ (50%) of Pap-adenocarcinoma cases had detectable hrHPV DNA. Conclusions: This study’s findings demonstrate that the Pap smear is still a valuable screening test especially for detecting both hrHPV-dependent and -independent cervical dysplasia in unvaccinated populations. While considerations are made to improve cervical cancer screening, including the introduction of hrHPV DNA testing in national cervical cancer screening programs, there is a need for the careful interpretation of molecular testing results for clinical intervention. This is especially important for hrHPV-independent cervical dysplasia screening, since this can have dire implications for clinically asymptomatic women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Eliminating Sexually Transmitted Infections: Monitoring, Evaluating Global Progress, Equity and Sustainability)
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20 pages, 1041 KB  
Article
The Cost of Cutbacks: How Reduction in Development Assistance for Health May Affect Progress Made in HIV/AIDS Control in Africa
by Richmond Nketia, Daniel Atta-Nyarko, Ebenezer Gyamfi, Rostand Dimitri Messanga Bessala, Naomi Adotei, Benjamin Asare-Kyei, Faustina Ameyaa Marfo, Prosper Tonwisi Luri, Charles Limula, Abubakr Ahmed Farhan, Michele Castelli and Austin Gideon Adobasom-Anane
Venereology 2025, 4(2), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/venereology4020008 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 1879
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The recent Executive Order suspending the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programmes, including Development Assistance for Health (DAH), has sparked serious debates about the sustainability of ongoing HIV/AIDS control programmes, particularly in Africa. In this study, we examined HIV/AIDS-specific DAH [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The recent Executive Order suspending the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programmes, including Development Assistance for Health (DAH), has sparked serious debates about the sustainability of ongoing HIV/AIDS control programmes, particularly in Africa. In this study, we examined HIV/AIDS-specific DAH allocation to Africa from 1990 to 2022, and the potential effects of funding cutbacks on disease outcomes. Methods: We nested 54 countries within five sub-regions of Africa and applied linear mixed-effects models to estimate the effects of DAH on HIV/AIDS incidence and mortality rates, accounting for clustering by sub-region and potential variability due to baseline incidence and mortality and other sources of heterogeneity. Results: Total DAH allocated to Africa increased from US$534,343 in 1990 to US$5,273,264 in 2022. The United States (U.S.) public sector contributed nearly two-thirds (US$58,399,088; 63.01%) of the total funding. Most of these funds were disbursed to Southern and Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly countries with the highest HIV/AIDS burdens, including South Africa and Kenya. The fixed effects results and predicted margins indicate that, in addition to having a direct effect, U.S. public sector-specific DAH moderates the effectiveness of other international donor funding and domestic general government health spending (GHES) on HIV/AIDS incidence and mortality. Conclusions: Based on the historical trends and funding interactions, the cutback in U.S. DAH could be associated with weakening of the overall effectiveness of other donor funding and GHES. However, any future effects are contingent on African countries’ resilience to evolving challenges and resource allocation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Eliminating Sexually Transmitted Infections: Monitoring, Evaluating Global Progress, Equity and Sustainability)
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