Increased prevalence of sexually transmitted viral infections in women: the role of female sex hormones in regulating susceptibility and immune responses

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by viruses, including HSV-2, HIV-1, HPV, are among the most prevalent infectious diseases worldwide and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite decades of effort, the attempts to develop efficacious vaccines against viral STIs have failed repeatedly, with the exception of the recent HPV vaccine. Given the higher prevalence rates of STIs in women, it is becoming clear that a better …