Lust & Risk - Why we should talk about STDs:

Recent research shows an increase in cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. The new special exhibition "Safe Sex. Comeback of venereal diseases" in the Fool's Tower gives an insight into the history and clinical pictures of various STIs, but also into prevention and current treatment methods.
 
Your interlocutors are:
 
Dr. Katrin Vohland
Director General and Scientific Director, NHM Vienna
 
Eduard Winter and Laura Lick, MA
Curators of the special exhibition, NHM Vienna
  
Dr. Horst Schalk
General Practitioner
 
Mag. Andrea Brunner
Managing Director, Aids Hilfe Wien


STIs are probably as old as humanity. First descriptions can already be found in reports from ancient Egypt and the Old Testament. The term gonorrhea comes from ancient Greek and means nothing more than sperm flow. The Greek doctor Galen recommended sexual abstinence as a therapy in the 2nd century, so the sexual transmission of diseases was already known at that time.

In the 15th century, the advent of syphilis led to a more in-depth examination of venereal diseases. The cause, however, was often seen in a "burdened and unflattering" way of life, as a supposed punishment from God. Soil effluents or "venere poisons" were also used to explain the diseases. "Veneric" refers to the goddess of love Venus – an allusion to the connection between shame and sexuality. The developing medical field has been and is called venerology. The most common diseases that venerologists dealt with in the early days were syphilis, gonorrhea, lymphogranuloma venereum, granuloma inguinale and ulcer molle. In the meantime, medicine has become much more familiar with diseases – today it is referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
 
Currently, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis and HIV are considered the "big five" of STDs in Europe. According to recent research by the ECDC (European Center of Disease Control), the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is on the rise again. According to WHO estimates, there are approximately 1 million transmissions every day across Europe.
 
The exhibition not only shows the history of venereal diseases, but also refers to current topics such as AIDS therapy and HPV vaccination, the first "vaccination against cancer". On the basis of historical preparations, different clinical pictures are shown and explained. Since many STIs are now easily treatable, a special focus is placed on education and prevention – according to the motto: Treatment is good, prevention is better. Since sexually transmitted infections have social consequences in addition to physical complaints, this topic is also represented. Stigma and exclusion should not really play a role in diseases today, but those affected are still discriminated against in the 21st century. STIs can meet any person, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

Knowledge of STIs helps not only you, but others as well!