The silent pandemic of sexual infections

The only way to be sure you don't harbour an STI is to get tested (Photo: iStock)

The word pandemic, as used in medical circles, describes the occurrence of a worldwide disease condition. Readers will be familiar with the recent viral pandemic, which hopefully is on its last legs.

But there are other pandemics, which sometimes don't quite hit the headlines with as much fanfare. A recent publication has highlighted the global re-emergence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs for short). This is so much so that the WHO aims to end this STI epidemic by 2030.