An overview on sexually transmitted infections in Iran

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) cause a large proportion of the global burden of ill-health, disability, and death. This paper reviews the status of STIs in Iran in the three groups of infections are caused by bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens and then focuses on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This review was carried out in the period of 1977-2015 by searching in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of sciences, Google scholar, the Iranian databases such as MagIran, IranMedex and SID using relevant English and Persian key words. Articles, reports, fact sheets, and official publications of World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) of Iran were reviewed. Data on the prevalence of STIs in Iran is sparse with very limited generalizability to the general population. But studies show that these infections are concentrated in high risk sub-groups of the population. Iran has a low national HIV prevalence, but an increased prevalence among people who inject drugs, shifting the country from low prevalence to a concentrated prevalence. It seems that the more improvement of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment programs in Iran need to more attention toward controlling HIV/AIDS through sexual health, proper linkage among HIV/AIDS, STIs, and SRH programs, reduction of stigma and discrimination toward people living with HIV/AIDS, and increase to access at risk populations.