CDC’s STI Treatment Guidelines Timeline: The Evolution of Sexual Healthcare

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STI Treatment Guidelines Timeline
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  • 1943

    Penicillin used for the first time to treat and cure syphilis.

  • 1940s-1950s

    Penicillin and other antibiotics became the standard treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

  • 1960s

    Improved diagnostics for gonorrhea (GC), helped pave the way for heightened U.S. government focus on gonorrhea control.

  • 1972, 1974, 1979

    Recommended Treatment Schedules for Gonorrhea published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

  • 1979

    First STD prevention training center model clinics established. Known today as the National Network of STD Prevention Training Centers, these centers are central to training healthcare providers nationwide.

  • 1982

    First comprehensive, CDC Treatment Guidelines for STDs published in MMWR.

  • 1986

    Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Program (GISP) established to help inform STD Treatment Guidelines updates.

  • 1989

    Due to increasing resistance, penicillin and tetracycline no longer recommended to treat GC. Ceftriaxone plus doxycycline was recommended for uncomplicated gonorrhea.

  • 1989-1993

    The STD Treatment Guidelines evolved from a quick reference guide on treatment into a more comprehensive care resource providing patient-centered care.

  • 1993

    Fluoroquinolones became one of the recommended options for GC treatment. Public awareness of human papilloma virus (HPV) grows, leading to expansion of coverage in STD Treatment Guidelines content.

  • 1990s-early 2000s

    STD Treatment Guidelines go digital with first website established – making all content freely available online.

  • 2006

    STD Treatment Guidelines expansion to discuss management of asymptomatic persons at risk for STDs.

  • 2007

    Fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for GC treatment – cephalosporins became backbone of GC treatment.

  • 2010

    STD Treatment Guidelines Pocket Guide and high-resolution Wall Chart created.

  • 2012

    Ceftriaxone only recommended antimicrobial to treat gonorrhea.

  • 2013

    STD Treatment Guidelines App created – allowing even more healthcare providers to easily gain access the Treatment Guidelines.

  • 2015

    STD Treatment Guidelines, 2015 released

  • 2021

    Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021 released with important updates

  • Today

    CDC, with consultation from experts in the field, continues to update based on emerging evidence as appropriate the STI Treatment Guidelines to ensure healthcare providers have access to optimal management and treatment guidance.