Diagnosis and treatment of common sexually transmitted diseases in women

Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are 2 very common sexually transmitted organisms, whose clinical manifestations in women can range from an asymptomatic carrier state to active pelvic inflammatory disease with known serious sequelae, including chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. The economic and clinical burden of these 2 infectious organisms are significant in the sexually active population. New developments in diagnosis and treatment of these infections raise great hope that substantial reduction in morbidity and disease prevalence rates can be achieved. Herpes simplex virus is probably better publicized and more feared in the sexually active population, and is far more prevalent than previously recognized; fortunately, however, it is not generally associated with significant morbidity. This article will review the current diagnoses and treatments of these conditions and consider some of the issues surrounding the impact of screening asymptomatic sexually active individuals. The treatment guidelines will emphasize the 1998 Guidelines for Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.