What’s New

The First Friday of October is National Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) Recognition Day (October 6, 2023)

• Dear Colleague Letter: A special thanks from Dr. Leandro Mena, Division of STD Prevention Director.

Public comment period for Doxy PEP Guidelines (October 2, 2023)

• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Division of STD Prevention Director announces that CDC is requesting public input on Guidelines for the Use of Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Prevention. This document provides draft Doxy PEP guidelines to prevent some bacterial STIs. The comment period will close in 45 days. An informational presentation is available.

Funding for Disproportionately Impacted Communities

• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Division of STD Prevention Director announces the award of funding to 26 partner recipients through Enhancing STI and Sexual Health Clinic Infrastructure (ESSHCI).

Update on Bicillin L-A® Shortage

• Dear Colleague Letter: Drs. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Division of STD Prevention Director, and Laura Hinkle Bachmann, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FACP Chief Medical Officer of DSTDP provide additional guidance on the limited supply of Penicillin G benzathine injectable suspension products.

Update on STI Prevention Funding

• Dear Colleague Letter: Drs. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, FIDSA, Division of STD Prevention Director, and Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director of CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention provide additional information on the impact of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 on the 5-year Congressional investment to strengthen the Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) workforce.

HHS Announces Federal STI Implementation Plan (June 8, 2023)

• Dear Colleague Letter: HHS Announces Federal STI Implementation Plan

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Surveillance, 2021 (April 11, 2023)

• Announcement: CDC’s STD Director on the release of national surveillance data and trends in the U.S.
• Media Statement: Final CDC report confirms U.S. STI epidemic showed no signs of slowing in 2021 – cases continued to escalate.
• Social Media & More: Messages and graphics to help you promote the new report.

CDC Finalizes New STI Research Consortium

• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, Division of STD Prevention Director announces that CDC awarded funding to three organizations to form Sexually Transmitted Infections Impact Research Consortium (STIIRC), which will conduct studies to reverse persistent, troubling trends in reported cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

STI Awareness Week (April 9-15, 2023)

Visit the STI Awareness Week website to access campaign messages and materials:

• Prepare Before You’re There
• GYT: Get Yourself Tested
• Talk. Test. Treat.

Use the Toolkit for ideas on planning activities for the observance

Healthcare providers and health departments can now report suspected gonorrhea and Mycoplasma genitalium treatment failures to the CDC. (December 12, 2022)

• Suspected Gonorrhea Treatment Failure Consultation Form
• Mycoplasma genitalium Treatment Failure Registry

Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen) Web Resources (November 18, 2022)

• Basic fact sheet with general information about Mgen
• Detailed fact sheet with specific information for healthcare providers
• Mgen treatment and care information for healthcare providers

STI Treatment (Tx) Guide Mobile App: The new app is more comprehensive, more integrated, and includes more features to help with patient care. (September 19, 2022)

• Medscape Commentary: CDC experts highlight five key changes to know about the 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines. (October 12, 2022)

Preliminary 2021 STD Surveillance Data (September 1, 2022)

• Social Media & More: Messages, graphics, and other materials to help you engage with your community

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Surveillance, 2020 (April 12, 2022)

• Announcement: CDC’s STD Director on the release of national STD trends in the U.S.
• Press Release: New data suggest STDs in the U.S. continued to increase during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Social Media & More: Messages and graphics to help you promote 2020 STD surveillance data.

STD Awareness Week (April 10-16, 2022)

• STD Awareness Week Campaign Toolkit:  Ideas on planning activities for the observance
• Each campaign offers a variety of premade social media graphics and customizable messages
  • NEW! Prepare Before You’re There: Encourages people to make a prevention “game plan” before they’re in the “heat of the moment”
  • GYT: Get Yourself Tested:  Encourages young people to get tested for STDs and HIV
  • Talk | Test | Treat:  Encourages people and healthcare providers to take these three actions

How the COVID-19 Pandemic has Impacted Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Programs (January 31, 2022)

STD Prevention and Control in 2021: A Year in Review

• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, Division of STD Prevention Director, on STD prevention and control accomplishments in 2021 and upcoming events and resources for 2022.

FDA Alert: Possible False RPR Reactivity with Syphilis Test

• Dear Colleague Letter: A note from Dr. Leandro Mena, Director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention on FDA’s recent alert about the Bio-Rad Laboratories BioPlex 2200 Syphilis Total & RPR kit. (December 20, 2021)
  • UPDATE: 03/24/2022: Lab Alert: BioRad Recalls RPR Portion of the BioPlex 2200 Syphilis Total & RPR Test Kit

Historic Five‐Year Investment for Disease Intervention Specialists Workforce

• Dear Colleague Letter: CDC’s Division of STD Prevention distributes $200 million to health departments for the first year of the CDC Disease Intervention Specialists Workforce Development Supplement. (September 24, 2021)

Congenital Syphilis Diagnosed Beyond the Neonatal Period in the United States: 2014-2018: New study finds 67 symptomatic infants were diagnosed with congenital syphilis beyond the neonatal period (>28 days) during this time. (August 31, 2021)

• Video abstract

Dr. Leandro Mena is the new Director for the Division of STD Prevention

• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, Division of STD Prevention Director, on the future of STI prevention and joining CDC. (August 2, 2021)

Dear Colleague Letter from the Division of STD Prevention: CDC Awards $11.1 Million for HIV Prevention Services in STD Clinics.

• Dear Colleague Letter from the Division of HIV Prevention: Advancing the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative in the U.S. with a $117 Million Investment.

2021 STI Treatment Guidelines (July 22, 2021)

• Dear Colleague Letter: Raul Romaguera, DMD, MPH, Acting Director for DSTDP, on CDC’s publication of the 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines, including notable screening and treatment updates.
• Provider Resources: Access print-friendly version of the wall chart, pocket guide, and guidelines.
• Recommendations for Providing Quality STD Clinical Services (STD QCS): Guidelines companion with recommendations and tools to help healthcare settings improve STD care services.

CDC invests more than $7M to help states address urgent STI priorities (July 13, 2021)

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: Funding to Hire and Train Public Health Workers

• Dear Colleague Letter: White House announces $1.13 billion investment to strengthen the disease intervention specialists workforce. (May 13, 2021)

Sexually Transmitted Infections Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost Estimates in the United States (January 25, 2021)

• At A Glance: STI Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost Estimates in the United States
• Social Media Materials: Messages and Graphics to Help Spread the Word
• Dear Colleague Letter: Announcement about Updated STI Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost Estimates
• Press release: CDC Estimates 1 in 5 People in the U.S. Have a Sexually Transmitted Infection

Sexually Transmitted Infections National Strategic Plan for the United States: 2021-2025

• Dear Colleague Letter: HHS launches nation’s first-ever plan of its kind for STIs. (December 18, 2020)