2002 STD Treatment Guidelines
Division of STD Prevention, CDC

STD Prevention and Control
Education and counseling to reduce risk of STD acquisition
Detection of asymptomatic and/or symptomatic persons unlikely to seek evaluation
Effective diagnosis and treatment
Evaluation, treatment, and counseling of sexual partners
Preexposure vaccination--hepatitis A, B

Prevention Messages
Prevention messages tailored to the client’s personal risk; interactive counseling approaches are effective
Despite adolescents greater risk of  STDs, providers often fail to inquire about sexual behavior, assess risk, counsel about risk reduction, screen for asx infection
Specific actions necessary to avoid acquisition or transmission of STDs
Clients seeking evaluation or treatment for STDs should be informed which specific tests will be performed

Prevention Methods
Male Condoms
Consistent/correct use of latex condoms are effective in preventing sexual transmission of HIV infection and can reduce risk of other STDs
Likely to be more effective in prevention of infections transmitted by fluids from mucosal surfaces (GC,CT, trichomonas, HIV) than those transmitted by skin-skin contact (HSV,HPV, syphilis, chancroid)

 Prevention Methods
Spermicides
N-9 vaginal spermicides are not effective in preventing CT, GC, or HIV infection
Frequent use of spermicides/N-9 have been associated with genital lesions
Spermicides alone are not recommended for STD/HIV prevention
N-9 should not be used a microbicide or lubricant during anal intercourse

The Diseases
Curable?
Characteristics
Treatment: Learn the basics

HSV 1 & 2

HSV Serologic Tests
If you are sending cultures to lab you must specify type specific assay for HSV1 and HSV2 infection.  Request the most specific assay available at your institution.
Often it is difficult to get a good sample and you must rely on history and clinical

Characteristics of HSV
Incurable with chronic recurrences
Asymptomatic shedding
Painful lesions
Frequency and severity of outbreaks varies with regard to health, stress, individual

Treatment Genital Herpes
First Clinical Episode
Acyclovir 400 mg tid
  or
Famciclovir 250 mg tid
  or
      (Valtrex) Valacyclovir 1000 mg bid
        Duration of Therapy 7-10 days

Treatment Genital Herpes
Episodic Therapy
  Acyclovir 400 mg three times daily x 5 days
or
Acyclovir 800 mg twice daily x 5 days
or
Famciclovir 125 mg twice daily x 5 days
or
Valacyclovir 500 mg twice daily x 3-5 days
or
Valacyclovir 1 gm orally daily x 5 days

Treatment Genital Herpes
Daily Suppression
   Acyclovir 400 mg bid
or
  Famciclovir 250 mg bid
or
        Valacyclovir 500-1000 mg daily

Genital Herpes in HIV Infected
May have prolonged or severe episodes with extensive genital or perianal disease
Episodic or suppressive antiviral therapy often beneficial

Genital Herpes in Pregnancy
Available data do not indicate an increased risk of major birth defects (first trimester)
Limited experience on pregnancy outcomes with prenatal exposure to valacyclovir or famciclovir
Acyclovir may be used with first episode or severe recurrent disease
Risk of transmission to the neonate is 30-50% among women who acquire HSV near delivery

Genital Herpes Counseling
Natural history of infection, recurrences, asymptomatic shedding, transmission risk
Individualize use of episodic or suppressive therapy
Abstain from sexual activity when lesions or prodromal symptoms present
Risk of neonatal infection

Syphilis

Characteristics of Syphilis
T.Pallidium
Primay, Secondary and Tertiary stages
Curable, but can be latent & asymptomatic
Skin lesions
Neurodegenerative
“the great imitator”
Always positive RPR

Treatment of Syphilis
Primary, Secondary, Early Latent
Recommended regimen
  Benzathine Penicillin G, 2.4 million units IM
Penicillin Allergy*
  Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily x 14 days   or
  Ceftriaxone 1 gm IM/IV daily x 8-10 days (limited studies)   or
  Azithromycin 2 gm single oral dose (preliminary data)
  *Use in HIV-infection has not been studied

Primary/Secondary Syphilis
Response to Treatment
No definitive criteria for cure or failure are established
Re-examine clinically and serologically at 6 and 12 months
Consider treatment failure if signs/symptoms persist or sustained 4x increase in nontreponemal test
Treatment failure: HIV test, CSF analysis; administer benzathine pcn weekly x 3 wks
Additional therapy not warranted in instances when titers don’t decline despite nl CSF and repeat therapy

Treatment of Syphilis
Latent Syphilis
Recommended regimen
Benzathine penicillin G 2.4 million units IM at one week intervals x 3 doses
Penicillin allergy*
Doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily
or
Tetracycline 500 mg orally four times daily
    Duration of therapy 28 days; close clinical and serologic
    follow-up; data to support alternatives to pcn are limited

Special Considerations in Syphilis
Management of sex partners
Pregnancy
Congenital syphilis

Chancroid

Characteristics of Chancroid
Curable
Haemophilus ducreyi
Genital ulcer

Treatment of Chancroid
Azithromycin 1 gm orally
or
Ceftriaxone 250 mg IM in a single dose
or
Ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily x 3 days
or
Erythromycin base 500 mg tid x 7 days

Chancroid: Management Considerations
Re-examination 3-7 days after treatment
Time required for complete healing related to ulcer size
Lack of improvement:  incorrect diagnosis,   co-infection, non-compliance, antimicrobial resistance
Resolution of lymphadenopathy may require drainage

Chancroid: Management of Sex Partners
Examine and treat partner whether symptomatic or not if partner contact < 10 days prior to onset

Urethritis

Characteristics of Urethritis
Curable
Mucopurulent or purulent discharge
Can be asymptomatic

Treatment of Nongonococcal Urethritis
Azithromycin 1 gm in a single dose
or
Doxycycline 100 mg bid x 7 days

Treatment of Nongonococcal Urethritis
Alternative regimens
Erythromycin base 500 mg qid for 7 days
or
Erythromycin ethylsuccinate 800 mg qid for 7 days
or
Ofloxacin 300 mg twice daily for 7 days
or
Levofloxacin 500 mg daily for 7 days

Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia Screening
Annual screening of sexually active women          < 25 yrs
Annual screening of sexually active women          > 25 yrs with risk factors
Sexual risk assessment may indicate more frequent screening for some women
Re-screen women 3-4 months after treatment     due to high prevalence of repeat infection

Characteristics of Chlamydia
Curable, but can cause permanent damage
Asymptomatic
Mucopurulent discharge

Slide 34

Treatment of Chlamydia
Azithromycin 1 gm single dose
or
Doxycycline 100 mg bid x 7d

Treatment of Chlamydia
Alternative regimens
Erythromycin base 500 mg qid for 7 days
or
Erythromycin ethylsuccinate 800 mg qid for 7 days
or
Ofloxacin 300 mg twice daily for 7 days
or
Levofloxacin 500 mg for 7 days

Treatment of Chlamydia
in Pregnancy
Recommended regimens
Erythromycin base 500 mg qid for 7 days
or
Amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily for 7 days
Alternative regimens
Erythromycin base 250 mg qid for 14 days
or
Erythromycin ethylsuccinate 800 mg qid for 14 days
or
Erythromycin ethylsuccinate 400 mg qid for 14 days
or
Azithromycin 1 gm in a single dose

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Characteristics of gonorrhoeae
Curable, but can cause permanent damage
Asymptomatic
Mucopurulent discharge

Treatment of gonorrhoeae
Cervix, Urethra, Rectum
Cefixime 400 mg
or
Ceftriaxone 125 IM
or
Ciprofloxacin 500 mg
or
Ofloxacin 400 mg/Levofloxacin 250 mg
PLUS Chlamydial therapy if infection not ruled out


 Treatment of gonorrhoeae
Cervix, Urethra, Rectum
Alternative regimens
Spectinomycin 2 grams IM in a single dose
or
Single dose cephalosporin (cefotaxime 500 mg)
or
Single dose quinolone (gatifloxacin 400 mg, lomefloxacin 400 mg, norfloxacin 800 mg)
PLUS Chlamydial therapy if infection not ruled out

Treatment of gonorrhoeae
Pharynx
Ceftriaxone 125 IM in a single dose
or
Ciprofloxacin 500 mg in a single dose
PLUS Chlamydial therapy if infection not ruled out

Treatment of gonorrhoeae in pregnancy
Cephalosporin regimen
Women who can’t tolerate cephalosporin regimen may receive 2 g spectinomycin IM
No quinolone or tetracycline regimen
Erythromycin or amoxicillin for presumptive or diagnosed chlamydial infection

Antimicrobial Resistance in the treatment of gonorrhoeae
Geographic variation in resistance to penicillin and tetracycline
No significant resistance to ceftriaxone
Fluoroquinolone resistance in SE Asia, Pacific, Hawaii, California
Surveillance is crucial for guiding therapy recommendations

Vaginitis

Characteristics of Candida Vaginitis
Curable
Thick white discharge, “cottage cheese”
Itchy
Microscopy

Treatment of Candida Vaginitis
Intravaginal regimens
Butoconazole, clotrimazole, miconazole,
nystatin, tioconazole, terconazole
Oral regimen
Fluconazole 150 mg in a single dose

Recurrent Candida Vaginitis
Four or more symptomatic episodes/year
Vaginal culture useful to confirm diagnosis and identify unusual species
Initial regimen of 7-14 days topical therapy or fluconazole 150 mg (repeat 72 hr)
Maintenance regimens- clotrimazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole
Non-albicans VVC- longer duration of therapy with non-azole regimen

Candida Vaginitis: Management of Sex Partners
Treatment not recommended
Treatment of male partners does not reduce frequency of recurrences in the female
Male partners with balanitis may benefit from treatment

Treatment of Candida Vaginitis in Pregnancy
Only topical intravaginal regimens recommended
Most specialists recommend 7 days of therapy

Trichomoniasis

Characteristics of Trichomoniasis
Curable
Discharge
Microscopy

Treatment of Trichomoniasis
Recommended regimen
Metronidazole 2 gm orally in a single dose
 Alternative regimen
Metronidazole 500 mg twice a day for 7 days
Pregnancy
Metronidazole 2 gm orally in a single dose

Trichomoniasis: Management of Sex Partners
Sex partners should be treated
Avoid intercourse until therapy is completed and patient and partner are asymptomatic

Bacterial Vaginitis

Characterstics Bacterial Vaginosis
Curable
Fishy odor
KOH test
Microscopy, clue cells

Treatment of Bacterial Vaginitis
Metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 7 days
or
Metronidazole gel 0.75%, 5 g intravaginally once daily for 5 days
or
Clindamycin cream 5%, 5 g intravaginally qhs for 7 days

Bacterial Vaginitis: Management of Sex Partners
Woman’s response to therapy and the likelihood of relapse or recurrence not affected by treatment of sex partner

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Curable, but can cause permanent damage!

Characteristics of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Minimum Diagnostic Criteria
Uterine/adnexal tenderness or cervical motion tenderness
Additional Diagnostic Criteria
Oral temperature >38.3 C Elevated ESR
Cervical CT or GC Elevated CRP
WBCs/saline microscopy Cx discharge

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Definitive Diagnostic Criteria
Endometrial biopsy with histopathologic evidence of endometritis
Transvaginal sonography or MRI showing thick fluid-filled tubes
Laparoscopic abnormalities consistent with PID

Hospitalization in Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Surgical emergencies not excluded
Pregnancy
Clinical failure of oral antimicrobials
Inability to follow or tolerate oral regimen
Severe illness, nausea/vomiting, high fever
Tubo-ovarian abscess

Treatment of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Oral
&
Parenteral

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Management of Sex Partners
Male sex partners of women with PID should be examined and treated for sexual contact 60 days preceding pt’s onset of symptoms
Sex partners should be treated empirically with regimens effective against CT and GC

Human Papilloma Virus

Characteristics of Human Papilloma Virus
Incurable, chronic disease
Asymptomatic
Genital warts
Link to cervical cancer

Treatment of Papillomavirus
Primary goal for treatment of visible warts is the removal of symptomatic warts
Difficult to determine if treatment reduces transmission

Treatment of Papillomavirus
Patient-applied
Podofilox 0.5% solution or gel
or
Imiquimod 5% cream (Aldara)
Provider-administered
Cryotherapy
or
Podophyllin resin 10-25%
or
Trichloroacetic or Bichloroacetic acid 80-90%
or
Surgical removal

Treatment of Papillomavirus in pregnancy
Imiquimod (Aldara), podophyllin, podofilox should not be used in pregnancy
Many specialists advocate wart removal due to possible proliferation and friability
HPV types 6 and 11 can cause respiratory papillomatosis in infants and children
Preventative value of cesarean section is unknown; may be indicated for pelvic outlet obstruction

Cervical Cancer Screening
Women with STD hx may be at increased risk of cervical cancer
Clinics that offer pap screening without colposcopic f/u should arrange for referral
Management of abnormal pap provided per Interim Guidelines for Management of Abnormal Cervical Cytology (NCI Consensus Panel)
Emerging data support HPV testing for the triage of women with ASCUS Pap tests

Vaccine Preventable STDs

Hepatitis A
MSM
Illegal drug users
Chronic liver disease, hepatitis B and C infection

Hepatitis B
History of STD, multiple sex partners, sexually active MSM
Illegal drug use
Household members, sex partners of those with chronic hepatitis B
Hemodialysis, occupational blood exposure