The first online portal on vaccine development for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was launched today at the 23rd IUTI World Congress. The STI Watch portal contains technically sound and up-to-date information on the most common STIs and the status of vaccine development for each.
Despite decades of global efforts to control STIs, which have a major impact on sexual and reproductive health, by promoting healthier sexual behaviors, including increased condom use, treating people with symptoms of STIs and improved access to testing and treatment, global STI rates remain stubbornly high. high. Innovations are needed in the fight against STIs. The development of safe and effective STI vaccines has the potential to revolutionize the approach to STI prevention.
STI Watch is a collaborative effort between WHO, the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC). WHO and NIAID, along with other key stakeholders, have developed a roadmap for STI vaccine development and introduction. The roadmap sets out the next steps to accelerate STI vaccine development, including: assessing the public health need and value of new vaccines; define your preferred product features; and outline the path to develop, evaluate and license vaccines.
This collaboration was extended to AVAC to create a web-based clearinghouse for STI vaccines in order to raise their profile globally.
Most STIs go untreated, often because they don’t cause symptoms. If left untreated, STIs are easily passed on to others and can cause serious health consequences, including an increased risk of HIV, infertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and cancer. Vaccines currently exist for only two common STIs: human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus. Where they have been widely implemented, these vaccines have led to a significant decrease in cervical cancer and of acute and chronic hepatitis.
Currently, research to develop vaccines against herpes simplex virus (HSV) and HIV is progressing, but not complete. The development of vaccines against gonorrhea is increasingly promising. Randomized controlled trials are underway with licensed vaccines against a related pathogen, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB), to assess whether these vaccines also prevent gonorrhea. A vaccine candidate for chlamydia has entered early clinical trials, and vaccine research studies for syphilis and trichomoniasis are in earlier stages of development.