Global epidemiology of reproductive tract infections.

Reproductive tract infections encompass three main groups of infections in men and women. These groups include: 1) endogenous infections of the female genital tract such as candida or bacterial vaginosis; 2) sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in men and women; and 3) iatrogenic infections. In 1995 the WHO estimated that globally there were approximately 333 million new cases of the four major curable sexually transmitted infections in the 15-49 year old age group. In many high and middle-income countries however there has been a marked decline in the number of new cases of bacterial STIs seen and reported to surveillance centers by clinicians. On the other hand low-income countries are thought to have rates higher than those in middle and high income areas. The reasons for the higher prevalences are multifactorial but usually based on predisposing economic and social conditions such as increasing urbanization population pyramids changing notions of social norms status of women cultural and economic barriers to seeking treatment and lack of adequate treatment facilities.