Sexually Transmitted Infections In the Emergency Department

As the United States faces a worsening epidemic of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), emergency departments (EDs) play a critical role in identifying and treating these infections. The growing health inequities in the distribution and disproportionate impact of STIs add to the urgency of providing high-quality sexual health care through the ED. Changes in population health are reflected in new Centers for Disease Control recommendations on screening, diagnostic testing, and treatment of STIs. This review covers common as well as less common and emerging STIs, and discusses the state-of-the-art guidance on testing paradigms, such as point-of-care testing, extragenital sampling, and antimicrobial treatment and prevention for STIs.