When it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), we all know the classics: Syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and the like. But these health-class terrors are not the only microbes that can get passed on through sexual contact.
There are more than 30 known STIs, and four in particular are becoming more common at a worrying rate. Some are developing antibiotic resistance, while others are simply dangerous. Men who have sex with men (MSM) seem to be at highest risk, though the STIs can spread to others as well.
It’s led scientists to search for new ways to combat STIs. As director of Johns Hopkins International STI Respiratory Diseases, and Biothreat Research Laboratory, Charlotte Gaydos is on the cutting edge of STI science. She helps develop new diagnostic tools to detect these pathogens. But even as we’re getting better at diagnosing them, she says STI cases are rising thanks to lingering stigma about getting tested, as well as funding cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)
