New Insights into HIV and STI Testing

More than 1.2 million people become newly infected with HIV each year. At the same time, the World Health Organization estimates that 358 million new cases of four curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs)– three bacterial pathogens (Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum), plus the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis – are acquired globally. Overall, the global burden of STIs is greatest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Currently, in LMICs the standard approach to STI management is syndromic management, which has been shown to miss asymptomatic infections and can lead to over-diagnosis and over-treatment. The overlapping epidemics of HIV and bacterial STIs in Africa have been recognized since the earliest days of the HIV epidemic. Thus, preventing and treating HIV and STIs remains a global high priority.

For both HIV and STIs, screening and diagnostic testing is a key entry point for access to treatment and prevention interventions. Thus, to maximize the public health impact of prevention and treatment intervention, innovative HIV testing strategies are needed to effectively and efficiently reach those with the greatest prevention needs, including men, partners of HIV-positive persons, key populations, and young women in all settings.

Recent studies have shown that HIV self-testing (HIVST), self-sampling for STI testing, and aetiological, point-of-care STI testing can increase HIV/STI testing uptake. Accelerated access to HIVST, self-sampling for STI testing and aetiological, point-of-care STI testing is key to achieving the end of the AIDS epidemic by 2030 and reducing the incidence of STIs. Although the implementation of these strategies is growing rapidly worldwide, further evidence is needed to better understand their performance, user preference, and effective implementation strategies to expand and optimize their implementation and impact in diverse populations and settings.

This Research Topic aims to provide new insights into the performance and successful implementation of HIV self-testing services, self-sampling for STI testing and point-of-care, aetiological STI testing in diverse populations and settings.

Topics may include, but are by no means limited to:
 Barriers and facilitators of HIVST and self-sampling for STI testing
 Cost-effectiveness of HIVST, self-sampling for STI testing, and aetiological, point-of-care STI testing
 Evaluation of HIVST services and self-sampling for STI testing and implications for improved service delivery
 Diagnostic accuracy of self-collected specimens in STI testing
 Effective assistance addressing the potential problems with obtaining the specimen by non-clinicians
 Linkage to care following a positive test result
 Integrating self-sampling for STI testing into already-existing HIVST services
 Integrating aetiological, point-of-care STI testing into already-existing HIVST services

This Research Topic welcomes submissions from various article types.

Keywords: HIV, AIDS, STIs, self-testing, self-collected samples, reproductive health, self-care

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.