New guidelines for the treatment of 3 common sexually transmitted infections have been issued by the WHO in response to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are all caused by bacteria and are generally curable with antibiotics. However, these STIs often go undiagnosed and are becoming more difficult to treat, with some antibiotics now failing as a result of misuse and overuse. “The new WHO guidelines reinforce the need to treat these STIs with the right antibiotic, at the right dose to reduce their spread and improve sexual and reproductive health,” says Ian Askew, Director of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO. The new recommendations are based on the latest available evidence on the most effective treatments for these 3 infections.
