There has been considerable research investigating bacterial vaginosis in women of reproductive age, but much less is known about its burden in postmenopausal women. This systematic review identified that the little research available suggests that a considerable proportion of postmenopausal women may have bacterial vaginosis at any point in time, but there is a real need for quality research to investigate the impact of bacterial vaginosis on this population group.

Kissing may be a risk factor for gonorrhoea. We conducted a survey of 357 men who have sex with men (MSM) attending a sexual health clinic in Melbourne in 2019. We found that MSM not only kissed men in the absence of sex, but also women. Oropharyngeal gonorrhoea may be transmitted between MSM and women via kissing in the absence of sex.

Sexual mixing is a concept that suggests individuals with similar characteristics tend to mix together. This study examines male–female couples attending a sexual health centre together with regards to their previous sexual experiences with same-sex partners. We found that approximately 10% of male–female partnerships attending our clinic had at least one individual in the partnership who had a same-sex partner in the previous 12 months, which could have implications on STI transmission between populations.

Group sex is understudied among heterosexuals. This cross-sectional survey was conducted at a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia, and aimed to identify factors associated with group sex among sexually active individuals. Our findings showed that meeting partners at sex venues such as brothels had the highest odds of participating in group sex and that group sex was strongly associated with STI positivity. Including questions on group sex in routine sexual history may be warranted for heterosexuals to gauge STI risk.

Digital technologies now form part of many people’s sex and intimate lives via mobile phones, cameras, dating apps and social media. Although we hear a lot about the risks posed by these technologies, such as online harassment or ‘revenge pornography’, there is limited research on the benefits. Reporting on a survey of Australian adults, this study explores perceived sexual and relationship benefits and pleasures associated with use of digital technologies, as well views on risks and negative consequences.

We conducted a retrospective study among 893 men tested for Trichomonas vaginalis in 2018–2021 at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre. The overall test positivity was low (1%). However, the test positivity among T. vaginalis contacts (18.6%) was significantly higher than non-contacts (0.5%). This highlights the importance of partner notification, testing and management.