WHO Launches STI Prevalence Atlas

Visit the new atlas here.

The open-access database is the first global platform consolidating standardized, quality-assured STI prevalence data from low- and middle-income countries (2010 onward), combining published and unpublished sources to improve access to reliable country- and population-specific data.

“This database represents a first major step forward in our ability to understand the burden of sexually transmitted infections across diverse populations and settings,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs. “By making these data openly accessible, we are equipping countries and partners with the evidence needed to design targeted interventions, strengthen surveillance systems and accelerate progress towards reducing the global impact of STIs.”

The database currently covers five STIs—chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HSV-2, syphilis and trichomoniasis—and is built to expand. As of June 2026 it includes 766 studies and 2,453 prevalence points from diverse settings and populations (household surveys, pregnant women, adolescents, key populations, sex workers, STI clinic attendees, and baseline or case-control studies). Included studies have defined populations, adequate methods, mostly post-2010 samples, and sample sizes ≥100. This breadth supports understanding STI epidemiology in general and higher-risk groups. The database will be updated and expanded as new studies appear to stay relevant to public health needs. It is intended for policymakers, national programmes, researchers, industry, community organizations and funders to inform evidence-based responses and regional/global burden estimates.