STI Clinical Update Webinar – Congenital Syphilis Scenarios: A case-based overview

April 28, 2025
12:00PM -1:15PM (PDT)
1.25 CME units at no cost

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.

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Download PowerPoint

Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (NG) Culture and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) Availability for California Providers

Designed for healthcare providers in California, this resource provides a detailed list of laboratories that offer Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture and/or antimicrobial susceptibility testing – both of which are recommended for managing suspected gonorrhea treatment failures and disseminated gonococcal infections.

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CLIA-Waived Syphilis Point-of-Care Testing Options for Providers

This clinical resource outlines the CLIA-waived point-of-care testing options available for syphilis, including the Syphilis Health Check and the DPP HIV-Syphilis System. The document summarizes and compares the two CLIA-waived point-of-care tests, then answers frequently asked questions – including who can perform these tests, in what settings they may be most useful, and how to follow-up reactive point-of-care test results.

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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.

NNPTC Syphilis Series: Syphilis 201

February 19th, 10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST

In the second installation of NNPTC’s three part Syphilis Series, learn from our NNPTC experts, Dr. Khalil Ghanem of the PTC at Johns Hopkins & Dr. Arlene Sena of the Southeast PTC.

Case based discussions of clinical conundrums
Experts walk through cases & make treatment decisions

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 Expert Hour Webinar: Shared Decision Making in Sexual Health

Tuesday, February 25, 2025
11:30AM-12:45PM (PST)
1.25 CME units at no cost

Recording currently unavailable. Please note: No CME available for viewing the webinar recording.

Presenter
Patty Cason, MS, FNP-BC
President, Envision Sexual and Reproductive Health

Course Description
A plethora of national guidelines recommend shared decision making as a person-centered way to engage with patients who are making decisions about their health. The goal is for patients to benefit from the provider’s contribution of scientific information while being acknowledged as the experts on themselves. This session will provide a specific, detailed approach to this and language suggestions to operationalize shared decision-making conversations.

Learning Objectives

Define shared decision making
Describe three contributions a provider makes during a shared decision-making conversation
List four ways to acknowledge a patient

Opt-out screening is an approach where all patients are informed that HIV/STIs screening will be performed as part of routine medical care, unless the patient specifically declines. Included in the job aid are resources from various sources (including the CDC and CDPH), a workflow for a typical office visit, and guidelines for best practices.

Recent research has shown that opt-out guidelines increase screening rates and subsequent treatment for HIV and STIs (such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis). This method reduces stigma, improves health equity, and opens the door for more comprehensive care.

Opt-Out Screening for STIs and HIV

STI Intensive

January 30, 2025

Please join us for a morning half-day STI Intensive offered in-person and virtually at no cost at the University of California, San Francisco at the ZSFG campus. There will also be an in-person (only) afternoon wet-mount at the UCSF Parnassus campus available to a limited number of the morning-training participants at no cost. This event will cover topics including STI epidemiology, syphilis, mycoplasma genitalium, HPV, and biomedical STI prevention. Speakers will include faculty from CAPTC (UCSF), the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and the California Department of Public Health.

½ Day Didactic: Morning – Early Afternoon

Hybrid event being offered in-person at UCSF Pride Hall & Virtually by Zoom
Onsite breakfast and refreshments provided
CME will be offered at no cost
Topics will cover STI trends (national and California); biomedical STI prevention; syphilis cases; updates in STI management, with a focus on syphilis, mycoplasma genitalium and HPV.
Recording currently unavailable.

Wet Mount: Mid Afternoon-Evening

Previous microscopy skills are required to take this course. Registration prioritized for STI Intensive didactic attendees. Space limited to 12 max capacity.

In-person only training being offered at UCSF Parnassus Heights
3-hour laboratory course
CME will be offered at no cost
Topics will cover CLIA regulation, quality control, and interpretation vaginal wet mount (VWM) for common causes of vaginitis. Microscope footage of findings on VWM including trichomonads, yeast and clue cells associated with BV. Experiential training, including laboratory practicum on examination of saline and KOH vaginal wet mounts (VWM). Participants will have an opportunity for group discussion, explanation, and demonstration, as well as practice and return demonstration.

STI Clinical Update Webinar – Syphilis in Pregnancy

November 20, 2024
12:00PM-1:15PM (PST)
1.25 CME units at no cost

Presenters

Kathleen Jacobson, MD
Chief, STD Control Branch, California Department of Public Health

Wyatt Hanft, MD, MPH
STI Fellow, STD Control Branch, California Department of Public Health & California Prevention Training Center at UCSF

Course Description

Drs. Kathleen Jacobson and Wyatt Hanft will provide a 1-hour virtual training focused on syphilis clinical presentation, screening/testing, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for pregnant patients. The presenters will use a case-based format to help attendees apply the learned material to a real-life scenario.

Learning Objectives

Review the epidemiology of syphilis and congenital syphilis (CS) in California
Apply the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) screening recommendations during pregnancy
Compare traditional and reverse screening algorithms for syphilis
Describe syphilis diagnosis, treatment and follow up during pregnancy