Sexually Transmitted Infections: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment in Primary Care

Most adolescents are cared for by general pediatricians, family practitioners, and mid-level providers. As a result, primary care practitioners need to be prepared to answer questions from adolescent patients and their parents about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), to practice good preventive medicine through screening and vaccination, and to provide treatment of STIs when needed. Although the topic of STIs is broad, there are common scenarios that arise in adolescent care. This review takes a pragmatic look at some of the most routine topics in adolescent health care regarding STIs, including the provision of confidential care, discussions with adolescent patients and their parents about human papillomavirus vaccination, the diagnosis and treatment of urethritis and cervicitis, and STI screening recommendations. [Pediatr Ann. 2019;48(9):e370-e375.].