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Guidelines

2019

• WHO guidelines for the prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus. Executive summary; 2019
  

  WHO published interim guidelines on the prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus in September 2016 (1), based on a limited amount of evidence under an emergency process during a public health emergency of international concern.

2018

• Standard protocol to assess prevalence of gonorrhoea and chlamydia among pregnant women in antenatal care clinics; 2018
  

  This document has been designed to provide a framework to support local and national STI prevalence studies. The aim of these studies is to understand the burden of disease of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), two priority STIs that can cause adverse birth outcomes. For this, the objective is to epidemiologically describe the prevalence of these two infections among pregnant women and, by proxy, the general population in the country.

2017

• Global guidance on criteria and processes for validation: Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis, 2nd edition; 2017
  

  This second edition was developed by WHO and the Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC), and is intended for use by national and regional validation committees as they prepare or review national submissions requesting validation of EMTCT of HIV and/or syphilis.

• WHO Guideline on Syphilis screening and treatment for pregnant women; 2017
  

  Since the publication of the WHO Guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections in 2003, changes in the epidemiology of STIs and advancements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment necessitate changes in STI management.This guideline provides updated recommendations for syphilis screening and treatment for pregnant women based on the most recent evidence and available serologic tests for syphilis.

2016

• WHO guidelines for the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis; 2016
  

  These guidelines provide updated treatment recommendations for common infections caused by C. trachomatis based on the most recent evidence; they form one of several modules of guidelines for specific STIs.

• Integrating HPV Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening Programs: a manual for program managers; 2016
  

  This guide, Integrating HPV Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening Programs: A Manual for Program Managers intends to fill this knowledge gap. It provides up-to-date information on HPV testing, to facilitate strengthening cervical cancer screening programs.

• WHO guidelines for the treatment of Genital Herpes Simplex Virus; 2016
  

  These guidelines provide updated treatment recommendations for genital HSV infection based on the most recent evidence; they form one of several modules of guidelines for specific STIs. Other modules will focus on treatments for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhoea), C. trachomatis (chlamydial infection) and Treponema pallidum (syphilis).

• WHO guidelines for the treatment of Treponema pallidum (syphilis); 2016
  

  These guidelines provide updated treatment recommendations for treatment of Treponema pallidum (syphilis) based on the most recent evidence. They form one of several modules of guidelines for specific STIs.

• WHO guidelines for the treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae; 2016
  

  These guidelines for the treatment of common infections caused by N. gonorrhoeae form one of several modules of guidelines for specific STIs.

• WHO: Prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus. Interim guidance; 2016
  

  This document is an update of guidance published on 7 June 2016 to provide advice on the prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus.

2015

• Brief sexuality-related communication. Recommendations for a public health approach; 2015
  

  Both research and consultations over the last decades have identified sexuality-related communication as an issue that requires urgent attention. While clients would like their health-care providers to discuss sexual health concerns...

• A tool for strengthening STI surveillance at the country level; 2015
  

  This assessment tool is intended to assist countries in conducting an STI surveillance assessment to identify how to best optimize and strengthen existing systems, monitor trends and interpret data to improve STI control programmes.

2014

• Comprehensive cervical cancer control. A guide to essential practice - Second edition; 2014
  

  Cervical cancer is one of the gravest threats to women's lives. It is estimated that over a million women worldwide currently have cervical cancer. Most of these women have not been diagnosed, nor do they have access to treatment that could cure them or prolong their lives. In 2012, 528 000 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed, and 266 000 women died of the disease, nearly 90% of them in low- to middle-income countries. Without urgent attention, deaths due to cervical cancer are projected to rise by almost 25% over the next 10 years.

2013

• Laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus; 2013
  

   This new manual, Laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus, provides a basic understanding of the principles of laboratory tests in the context of screening and diagnostic approaches, as well as antimicrobial susceptibility testing, as components of STI control.

2011

• WHO guidelines. Use of cryotherapy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, 2011
  

  This document summarizes the new evidencebased WHO recommendations about the use of cryotherapy in women with histologically confirmed CIN for low-, middle- and high income countries.

2007

• Training modules for the syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections; 2007
  

  This training programme is for clinicians and service providers whose normal duties include first-level diagnosis and treatment of patients and those who work as outreach providers, counsellors or educators at any first-contact health facility.

2005

• Guidelines for the Management of Sexually Transmitted Infectious; 2005
  

  The emergence and spread of human immunodefi ciency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodefi ciency syndrome (AIDS) have had a major impact on the management and control of STIs.

Policy Briefs

2017

• Casting light on old shadows: ending sexually transmitted infection epidemics as public health concerns by 2030. Advocacy Brief; 2017
  

  Countries can boost the response to STIs and improve the health of millions of women, men and adolescents by adopting WHO’s Global STI Strategy. Some viral STIs, like human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV, are still incurable and can be deadly, while some bacterial STIs – like chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and trichomoniasis – are curable if detected and treated.

• Sexually transmitted infections: implementing the Global STI Strategy. Evidence-to-action brief; 2017
  

  This policy brief is designed to help countries implement the Global STI Strategy. By taking action to build sustainable national and institutional capacity for addressing STIs, countries can ensure that key cost- effective interventions reach the greatest number of people in need

2011

• Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV during breastfeeding; 2011
  

  New evidence published in Lancet Infectious Diseases shows safety and efficacy of combination antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding and supports the 2010 revised WHO guidelines.

Technical reports

2018

• Report on global sexually transmitted infection surveillance; 2018
  

  STI prevention and control has widespread public health benefits. Left untreated, some STIs increase the risk of HIV transmission during unprotected sexual contact and lead to complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, fetal death and congenital infections. 

2015

• Progress report of the implementation of the global strategy for prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: 2006–2015; 2015
  

  The Global Strategy was developed to provide a framework to guide the response for the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and to support advocacy efforts for programmes providing STI prevention and control services.

2013

• Report on global sexually transmitted infection surveillance 2013; 2013
  

  Improved STI surveillance and estimates give us a better idea of the extent of the problem, while also providing feedback to programmes on the effectiveness of interventions. Available data, as partially summarized in this report, demonstrate that STI control...

2012

• Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries; 2012
  

   The objective of this document is to provide technical recommendations on effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sex workers and their clients. These include evidence-based recommendations following the GRADE methodology as well as recommendations for good practice.

2011

• Expert consultation and review of the latest evidence to update guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections. Meeting report; 2011
  

  This revision focused on the syndromes of genital ulcer disease (GUD) and vaginal discharge – the former because of the observed increase of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV‑2) as the main cause of GUD in developing countries, and the latter for its continued complexity and controversy as an entry point for managing cervical gonococcal and chlamydial infections

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