• Skin anatomy and physiology
• Immune system basics (innate and adaptive immunity)
• Skin immunology and host-pathogen interactions
• Basic microbiology (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites)

• History and evolution of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Epidemiology of STIs globally and regionally
• Routes of transmission and risk factors
• Public health significance

• Historical perspective and stigma
• Mycobacterium leprae characteristics
• Global distribution and epidemiology
• WHO classification systems

Syphilis

• Primary, secondary, tertiary, and congenital syphilis
• Neurosyphilis and cardiovascular syphilis
• Serological tests (VDRL, RPR, TPHA, FTA-ABS)
• Treatment protocols and Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction

Gonorrhea

• Clinical manifestations (urethritis, cervicitis, PID)
• Disseminated gonococcal infection
• Antibiotic resistance patterns
• Dual therapy approach

Chlamydia trachomatis

• Urogenital infections
• Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)
• Reactive arthritis

Other Bacterial STIs

• Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi)
• Granuloma inguinale (Klebsiella granulomatis)

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2)

• Primary and recurrent infections
• Neonatal herpes
• Antiviral therapy and suppressive management

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

• Low-risk and high-risk types
• Genital warts (condyloma acuminata)
• Cervical cancer screening and prevention
• Vaccination strategies

HIV/AIDS

• Virology and pathogenesis
• Natural history and staging
• Opportunistic infections
• Antiretroviral therapy (ART)
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

Hepatitis B and C

• Sexual transmission
• Chronic liver disease
• Screening and vaccination

Other Viral STIs

• Molluscum contagiosum
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

• Trichomoniasis
• Pubic lice (Pediculosis pubis)
• Scabies
• Candidiasis

• Urethral discharge syndrome
• Vaginal discharge syndrome
• Genital ulcer disease
• Lower abdominal pain
• Inguinal bubo
• Neonatal conjunctivitis

• STIs in pregnancy
• Pediatric STIs and sexual abuse
• STIs in HIV-positive individuals
• MSM (men who have sex with men) specific issues
• Transgender health

• Microscopy techniques
• Culture methods
• Serological tests
• Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs)
• Point-of-care testing

• Mycobacterium leprae characteristics
• M. lepromatosis
• Transmission mechanisms
• Incubation period
• Genetic susceptibility

Ridley-Jopling Classification

• Tuberculoid (TT)
• Borderline tuberculoid (BT)
• Mid-borderline (BB)
• Borderline lepromatous (BL)
• Lepromatous (LL)
• Indeterminate leprosy

WHO Operational Classification

• Paucibacillary (PB)
• Multibacillary (MB)

• Skin lesions (macules, plaques, nodules)
• Nerve involvement (peripheral neuropathy)
• Pattern of nerve involvement
• Pure neuritic leprosy
• Deformities and disabilities

• Clinical examination
• Slit-skin smear and bacteriological index (BI)
• Morphological index (MI)
• Histopathology
• Nerve biopsy
• Molecular diagnostics (PCR)
• Lepromin test

Type 1 Reaction (Reversal Reaction)

• Pathogenesis and clinical features
• Management with corticosteroids

Type 2 Reaction (Erythema Nodosum Leprosum - ENL)

• Clinical features
• Management with thalidomide and corticosteroids

Lucio phenomenon

• WHO MDT regimens
• PB: Rifampicin + Dapsone (6 months)
• MB: Rifampicin + Dapsone + Clofazimine (12 months)
• Drug resistance
• Treatment completion and cure
• Uniform MDT (U-MDT) regimen

• Nerve damage and assessment
• Deformities (claw hand, foot drop, lagophthalmos)
• Trophic ulcers
• Disability grading (WHO disability grades 0, 1, 2)
• Prevention of disability (POD)
• Reconstructive surgery

• Leprosy in pregnancy
• Pediatric leprosy
• Relapse vs. reaction
• Drug-resistant leprosy

• Disease surveillance
• Contact tracing
• Screening programs
• WHO elimination targets
• National leprosy elimination programs

• Behavioral interventions
• Condom promotion
• Vaccination (HPV, Hepatitis B)
• BCG vaccination and leprosy
• Chemoprophylaxis
• Single-dose rifampicin (SDR) for contacts

• Stigma reduction
• Psychosocial support
• Patient education and counseling
• Legal aspects and human rights
• Rehabilitation programs

• History taking (sexual history)
• Physical examination techniques
• Partner notification and management
• Counseling and communication
• Documentation and confidentiality

• STIs mimicking other dermatoses
• Leprosy mimickers (vitiligo, tinea, granuloma annulare)
• Other granulomatous diseases

• Consent and confidentiality
• Reporting requirements
• Sexual assault examination
• Child protection

Diagnostics

Point-of-Care Testing

• Rapid molecular diagnostics (GeneXpert, Cepheid)
• Smartphone-based microscopy
• Biosensor technologies
• Dual HIV/syphilis rapid tests

Advanced Molecular Diagnostics

• Next-generation sequencing for STI screening
• Whole-genome sequencing for outbreak investigation
• Metagenomic approaches for comprehensive STI screening
• CRISPR-based diagnostics

Treatment

Novel Therapeutics

• Long-acting injectable antiretrovirals (cabotegravir + rilpivirine)
• Broadly neutralizing antibodies for HIV
• Therapeutic vaccines (HSV, HIV)
• Microbiome-based therapies

Drug Resistance Management

• New antibiotics for resistant gonorrhea (zoliflodacin, gepotidacin)
• Combination therapy optimization
• Resistance surveillance networks

Prevention

Biomedical Prevention

• Injectable PrEP (cabotegravir every 2 months)
• Vaginal rings (dapivirine for HIV prevention)
• Multimodal prevention products
• Universal HPV vaccination programs
• Syphilis vaccine development

Digital Health

• AI-powered risk assessment tools
• Telemedicine for STI care
• Partner notification apps
• Self-testing and self-collection kits

Research Frontiers

• Gene therapy for HIV cure
• Latency-reversing agents ("shock and kill" strategy)
• Host-directed therapies
• Precision medicine approaches
• Microbiome research in STI susceptibility

Diagnostics

Molecular Advances

• Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)
• Lateral flow assays for early detection
• Serum biomarkers (anti-PGL-1, NDO-LID, LID-1)
• Lipoarabinomannan (LAM) detection

Imaging Technologies

• High-resolution ultrasonography for nerve assessment
• MRI for nerve involvement
• Optical coherence tomography
• Thermal imaging for early neuropathy

AI and Machine Learning

• Image recognition for skin lesion classification
• Predictive models for reactions
• Risk stratification algorithms

Treatment

Novel Drug Regimens

• Shorter MDT regimens (uniform 6-month MDT trials)
• Fluoroquinolones (moxifloxacin, ofloxacin)
• Minocycline as alternative
• Bedaquiline for drug-resistant cases

Host-Directed Therapies

• Immunomodulators
• Autophagy inducers
• Anti-inflammatory agents

Reaction Management

• Pentoxifylline for ENL
• Alternative immunosuppressants
• Targeted biologics (anti-TNF agents - experimental)

Prevention

Chemoprophylaxis

• Single-dose rifampicin (SDR) for contacts (WHO recommendation)
• Rifampicin + ofloxacin + minocycline (ROM) for prevention
• Mass drug administration in endemic areas

Vaccine Development

• LepVax (recombinant vaccine) in clinical trials
• BCG revaccination studies
• Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) vaccine

Disability Prevention

Advanced Rehabilitation

• 3D-printed prosthetics and orthotics
• Smart insoles for ulcer prevention
• Nerve decompression surgery techniques
• Tissue engineering for reconstruction

Neuroregenerative Therapies

• Stem cell therapy (experimental)
• Growth factors for nerve repair
• Electrical stimulation protocols

Research Frontiers

• M. leprae genome sequencing and comparative genomics
• Armadillo models for drug testing
• Understanding nerve tropism mechanisms
• Post-exposure prophylaxis optimization
• Transmission dynamics modeling
• Integration of leprosy services into general healthcare

Artificial Intelligence

• Clinical decision support systems
• Automated image analysis for both STIs and leprosy
• Predictive analytics for outbreak prevention

Global Health Initiatives

• WHO 2021-2030 strategies
• Integration of STI and leprosy services
• Elimination of mother-to-child transmission programs
• Triple elimination (HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B)

Social Innovation

• Stigma reduction campaigns using social media
• Community-based care models
• Self-care interventions
• Mobile health (mHealth) applications

Venereology

1. STI Awareness Campaign Design: Create educational materials for a specific population
2. Case Study Analysis: Analyze 10 STI cases and create differential diagnosis
3. Literature Review: Review antibiotic resistance patterns in gonorrhea
4. Patient Education Materials: Create visual guides for proper condom use

Leprosy

1. Stigma Assessment Survey: Design questionnaire on leprosy stigma
2. Clinical Photography Portfolio: Document various leprosy skin lesions (with consent)
3. Contact Tracing Simulation: Map contacts of an index case
4. Disability Prevention Guide: Create illustrated guide for self-care

Venereology

1. Epidemiological Study: Conduct STI prevalence study in specific population
2. Syndromic Management Audit: Review clinic records for syndromic management adherence
3. Partner Notification Program: Design and implement partner notification system
4. Rapid Testing Implementation: Pilot rapid HIV/syphilis testing program
5. Telemedicine Clinic Setup: Develop protocols for virtual STI consultations

Leprosy

1. Active Case Detection Campaign: Organize community screening camps
2. MDT Adherence Study: Track treatment completion rates
3. Nerve Function Monitoring Protocol: Establish standardized nerve assessment clinic
4. Reaction Prediction Model: Collect clinical data from leprosy patients
5. School Screening Program: Design leprosy screening protocol for schools

Venereology

1. Molecular Epidemiology Study: Use whole-genome sequencing for STI outbreak investigation
2. Novel Diagnostic Validation: Validate new point-of-care test for STIs
3. PrEP Implementation Research: Design and implement PrEP program for high-risk population
4. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance: Establish sentinel surveillance network
5. Behavioral Intervention Trial: Design randomized controlled trial for STI prevention
6. AI-Powered Diagnostic Tool: Develop machine learning algorithm for STI diagnosis

Leprosy

1. Chemoprophylaxis Trial: Conduct cluster-randomized trial of SDR for contacts
2. Biomarker Discovery Study: Identify novel biomarkers for early diagnosis or reaction prediction
3. Drug Resistance Surveillance: Screen M. leprae isolates for resistance mutations
4. Vaccine Trial Participation: Participate in multi-center vaccine efficacy trial
5. Nerve Regeneration Study: Investigate novel therapies for nerve repair
6. Integrated Care Model: Design and implement integrated NTD/primary care model
7. Transmission Dynamics Modeling: Develop mathematical model of leprosy transmission
8. Genomic Epidemiology: Sequence M. leprae from patients and contacts

1. One Health Approach to STIs: Investigate zoonotic STI transmission
2. Leprosy and Poverty Study: Examine socioeconomic determinants
3. Digital Health Platform: Develop comprehensive app for STI/leprosy management
4. Policy Analysis and Advocacy: Analyze national policies on STI/leprosy control
5. Global Elimination Strategy: Contribute to WHO elimination goals

• Venereology: "Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases" (Gross and Tyring)
• Leprosy: "Leprosy" by Hastings and "International Textbook of Leprosy" (American Leprosy Missions)
• Combined: "Clinical Dermatology: Diagnosis and Therapy" (Habif)

• WHO STI treatment guidelines
• CDC STI treatment guidelines
• WHO leprosy guidelines (Global Leprosy Strategy 2021-2030)
• National leprosy elimination programs

• Sexually Transmitted Infections (BMJ)
• Leprosy Review
• International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases
• Indian Journal of Leprosy

• CDC STI resources
• WHO leprosy portal
• ILEP (International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations)
• American Leprosy Missions

• STI clinic rotations
• Leprosy referral centers
• Dermatology departments
• Public health field visits
• Community outreach programs