Is BV an STI now?
Dr. Catriona Bradshaw | May 7, 2025 7-8pm ET
It has been long debated whether bacterial vaginosis (BV) constituted an STI. A recent Australian study published in the New England Journal of Medicine just upended the generally accepted notion that it occurs with no apparent outside cause. In this webinar, Professor Catriona Bradshaw will discuss the impact of a multicentre male partner treatment randomized control trial for women with bacterial vaginosis, as part of an initiative to develop multipurpose prevention technologies to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health. This study has proven that concurrent treatment of male partners increases BV cure with a readily accessible affordable intervention, creating an opportunity for long-term control and prevention of BV and sequelae such as preterm birth. This webinar will be presented in English.
Learning objectives: (1) Introduce the evidence for BV as an STI (2) Review trial methods and results (3) Discuss implications on partner treatment guidelines.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Catriona Bradshaw
Professor Catriona Bradshaw is a clinician researcher and Head of Research Translation and Mentorship and of The Genital Microbiota and Mycoplasma Group at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University and Alfred Hospital. She is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science, Clinical Professor at the University of Melbourne and Principal Research Fellow at the Burnet Institute. Her programme focuses on translational research to improve treatment and control of STIs, including the development and implementation of resistance and point of care diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance and stewardship in STIs, and strategies to optimise reproductive health. Catriona is an NHMRC Leadership Fellow, a Centre Head for the Centre to Impact Antimicrobial Resistance (Monash University), and a Co-director of the ARC Research Hub to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (Monash/University of NSW/University of Queensland/industry/NGOs).
ABOUT THE MODERATOR: Dr. Marc Steben
Family physician; Past-President of IUSTI-Canada; President-elect, International Society for STD Research; and Chair of the 2025 ISSTDR and IUSTI-World Joint Congress. As a family physician, Marc concentrates his clinical interest on sexual health, mainly chronic genital diseases. Research, development and publications in the field include therapeutic approaches to chronic genital pain, prevention and treatment of genital herpes and development of HPV prophylactic vaccine.
