HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. Latest views on synergy, treatment, and screening

Abstract

While STDs have an important impact on HIV transmission, experimental intervention studies demonstrating that STD control reduces HIV incidence have had mixed results. STDs can impact the clinical management of patients infected with HIV by increasing both viral load and HIV infectiousness. The clinical management of STDs is a dynamic field that has seen the advent of new diagnostic assays as well as changes in susceptibility to and availability of antimicrobial agents. As a result, excellence in HIV medical care requires physicians to be current in STD medicine. Physicians who care for patients with HIV infection should be familiar with recent guidelines recommending routine risk assessment and STD screening in these patients.