Topic: Congenital Syphilis
Syphilis in California: New CDPH Screening Recommendations Explained
The California Department of Public Health Office of STIs and HCV (formerly STD Control Branch) collaborated with Dr. Diana Ramos, California’s Surgeon General, to create this video. The goal is to inform health care providers of California’s syphilis screening recommendations, which were updated in October of 2024.
For Patients: Ureaplasma urealyticum FAQ
Developed by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and California Prevention Training Center, this practical resource addresses frequently asked questions about the genital bacterium Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), including:
- What is UU?
- Is it always harmful?
- When are testing and/or treatment for UU recommended? (And when are they not?)
The goal is to help patients learn the facts about this common but often misunderstood bacterium.
For Providers: Ureaplasma urealyticum FAQ
Developed by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and California Prevention Training Center, this practical resource addresses frequently asked questions about the genital bacterium Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), including:
- When screening, testing, and/or treatment for UU are (and are not) recommended,
- How to interpret positive test results in asymptomatic patients, and
- How to approach partner management.
The goal is to help providers navigate the uncertainty around UU, avoiding unnecessary testing and treatment while ensuring appropriate treatment when indicated.
STI Clinical Update Webinar – Congenital Syphilis Scenarios: A case-based overview
April 28, 2025
12:00PM -1:15PM (PDT)
CME not offered for viewing the webinar recording.
Course Description
This presentation reviews four separate cases of congenital syphilis (CS). Each case illustrates one of the four CS Scenarios, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through these cases, learners will gain an understanding of the diagnosis and management of the CDC CS Scenarios. The cases are shown from two viewpoints: a clinical pediatric infectious disease perspective and a public health medical officer standpoint.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the diagnostic criteria for the four congenital syphilis scenarios, as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Identify at least one public health resource for congenital syphilis management
- Understand the different lab tests that can be used to evaluate an infant exposed to syphilis during pregnancy.
Presenters
Elizabeth Partridge, MS, MD, MPH
Dr. Partridge is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the UC Davis Medical Center (UCDMC) in Sacramento, CA. She provides inpatient and outpatient consultation for children with acute and chronic infections. Dr. Partridge serves as medical director of infection prevention for the UC Davis Children’s Hospital. Her clinical and research interests include hospital epidemiology & infection prevention. She has a special clinical interest in the prevention and management of congenital Syphilis infection.
Rosalyn Plotzker, MD, MPH
Dr. Plotzker is an Assistant Professor in the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and also performs high-resolution anoscopy at the UCSF Anal Neoplasia Clinic, Research, and Education (ANCRE) Center. She completed a Fellowship in Sexually Transmitted Diseases with the CAPTC and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). She serves as a Public Health Medical Officer in the STD Control Branch at CDPH.
To request an accommodation for this event, please email captc@ucsf.edu at least a week in advance of the event.
Clinical Guidance: Infant and Child Follow-up After Exposure to Syphilis in Utero
Designed to support clinicians and public health practitioners, this resource provides detailed algorithms for the evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of neonates, infants, and children exposed to syphilis during pregnancy. Developed in alignment with the 2021 CDC STI Treatment Guidelines, the resource outlines step-by-step instructions for monitoring RPR/VDRL titers, interpreting titer trends, and ensuring thorough follow-up care for infants and children affected by syphilis.
NNPTC Syphilis Series: Congenital Syphilis & Syphilis in Pregnancy
February 26thth, 10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST
In the last installation of NNPTC’s 3 part Syphilis Series, learn from experts Dr. Jason Zucker of the New York City STI PTC & Dr. Erica Hardy of the Sylvie Ratelle STI/HIV PTC.
- Case Based Discussions on Congenital Syphilis & Syphilis in Pregnancy
Learning Objectives
- Describe the importance of interprofessional collaboration in sexual health care.
- Describe current STD/HIV screening strategies including diagnostic algorithms.
- Describe current STD/HIV treatment recommendations.
STI Clinical Update Webinar – Introduction to Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis: A Phoenix IHS and CAPTC Event
January 11, 2024
8:30AM-12:00PM (MST)
Presented by CAPTC Clinical Faculty
Please note: CME not available for viewing the webinar recording.
Presenters:
- Sharon Adler, MD, MPH, Clinical Faculty, California Prevention Training Center
- Wyatt Hanft, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, STI Fellow, California Prevention Training Center
- Tamara Ooms, RN, MSN, FNP, Program Manager, California Prevention Training Center
- Ina Park, MD, MS, Principal Investigator, California Prevention Training Center
- Rosalyn Plotzker, MD, MPH, Clinical Faculty, California Prevention Training Center
- Moderator: Kelly Johnson, MD, MPH, Medical Director, California Prevention Training Center
Learning Objectives:
Describe the varied clinical manifestations of syphilis in adults & congenital syphilis (CS) in infants
Recognize that there are two different screening algorithms used to diagnose syphilis in adults
Define adequate treatment for syphilis, including during pregnancy
List at least 3 strategies to prevent syphilis in adults and infants
STI Clinical Update Humboldt County-Addressing the Rise of Syphilis: A Review of Clinical Management of Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis for Health Care Providers
Presented by Drs. Kathleen Jacobson and Wyatt Hanft
December 5, 2023
Learning Objectives:
- Apply California’s expanded syphilis screening recommendations
- Describe the stages of syphilis and the recommended treatment and follow up for people with syphilis
- Compare the traditional and reverse algorithm for syphilis screening
Please note: CME not offered for viewing the recording of the update