The World Health Organization has unveiled the first-ever global database tracking the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), creating a central platform that gives countries access to standardised, quality-assured data to improve disease surveillance and public health planning.
The World Health Organisation on Friday announced the launch of the world’s first global database on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, providing countries with a centralised, open-access platform for reliable and standardised STI data.
According to the global health agency, the database brings together prevalence data collected from low- and middle-income countries from 2010 onward, making it the first global resource to consolidate such information in a single location.
The WHO said the platform was developed to overcome longstanding difficulties in accessing dependable country- and population-specific STI data by combining published and unpublished evidence from multiple sources into one comprehensive database.
WHO’s Director of the Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, Dr Tereza Kasaeva, described the database as a significant milestone in the global fight against STIs.
“This database represents a first major step forward in our ability to understand the burden of sexually transmitted infections across diverse populations and settings.
“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,” Kasaeva said.
The organisation stated that the database currently contains information on five sexually transmitted infections—chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes simplex virus type 2, syphilis and trichomoniasis—and will continue to expand as additional evidence becomes available.
As of June 2026, the platform includes findings from 766 studies, covering 2,453 prevalence data points gathered from a broad range of populations and settings.
The data draw from household surveys, studies involving pregnant women and adolescents, key populations, sex workers, STI clinic attendees, as well as baseline information from intervention and case-control studies.
The WHO said only research that satisfied strict quality requirements was included in the database.
“These criteria include clearly defined population groups, adequate methodological information, sample collection conducted mostly from 2010 onwards, and study populations of at least 100 participants,” the global health body said.
According to the agency, the database will strengthen understanding of STI epidemiology among the general population and groups at greater risk of infection.
It added that the platform will be updated regularly as new studies are reviewed and published, while its coverage will be broadened to include additional sexually transmitted infections in line with emerging public health priorities.
The organisation said the database is designed to support policymakers, national disease control programmes, researchers, industry, community organisations and funding agencies by improving access to STI prevalence data.
It added that wider access to high-quality information will help countries develop evidence-based interventions, reinforce surveillance systems and improve regional and global estimates of STI burden and trends over time.