Preventing complications of sexually transmitted disease. New treatment guidelines for an expanded spectrum of...

Newly recognised sexually transmitted diseases have combined with the traditional venereal diseases to present clinicians with a demanding management challenge. Besides the increases in incidence of some of these diseases, many of the associated organisms are becoming more resistant to commonly used antimicrobial drugs. Predictably, accompanying this trend are increasing numbers of serious complications affecting men, women and infants. Timely and appropriate management of patients presenting with sexually transmitted diseases are imperative to stem the swelling tide of these conditions and prevent their insidious consequences. Clinicians must therefore remain knowledgeable about the effective therapies (and regimens) that are available. An update of the treatment guidelines for sexually transmitted diseases is provided in this article. As well as selecting appropriate antimicrobial regimens, it is equally important that clinicians educate their patients about their disease and its probable course, explain the administration of medications clearly to patients, and follow them up appropriately to detect resistant cases and non-compliers, and ultimately ensure effective treatment. In addition, no patient should be considered appropriately managed until his or her sexual partners have been properly dispositioned. For most patients, this will entail examining their sexual partners and treating them immediately. Execution of these treatment guidelines and management principles will help protect the reproductive capability of many women by preventing pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility.