Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Testing: More Than Just Genitals

Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Testing: More Than Just Genitals

A patient-facing fact sheet describing:

  • Who should get tested
  • Why get tested
  • What to expect
  • Tips for talking with your health care provider
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Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydial Infection

Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydial Infection

Quick reference guide for the MMWR Recommendations & Reports, Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydial Infection

A quick reference resource, it only lists the recommendations and data security guidelines included in the MMWR. The document is available in its entirety at www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/partners.

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STI Clinical Training

We support healthcare providers in the Western United States (AZ, CA, HI, NM, and NV) to promote health equity and improve clinical outcomes for those affected by sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

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See Clinical Trainings and Resources
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Upcoming Trainings

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Regional Training Center, National Network of STD Clinical Prevention (NNPTC)

Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CAPTC supports healthcare providers in the western United States (AZ, CA, HI, NM, and NV) to promote health equity and improve clinical outcomes for those affected by sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

We provide in-person and virtual training events, technical assistance, clinical tools, and STI clinical consultation (via the STD Clinical Consultation Network) to support providers in addressing the rise of STIs in their communities. We focus on complex issues in patient care including evolving PrEP modalities, congenital syphilis management and prevention, and complications of gonorrhea and chlamydia. Our faculty consists of physicians and nurses who are subject matter experts in the field of sexual health with extensive academic, clinical, and public health experience in STI control and response.

The CAPTC Clinical Program has been funded for over 30 years by the CDC and is part of the National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC). CAPTC also has a long-standing partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) STD Control Branch to deliver training on STI diagnosis and treatment to California counties experiencing high rates of STIs. CDPH and CAPTC regularly collaborate on issuing statewide guidance related to STI screening and treatment, as well as creating co-branded job aids and educational materials for providers throughout the state.

CAPTC is also proud to collaborate with San Francisco City Clinic (SFCC), San Francisco’s preeminent municipal STI clinic, to offer observerships in sexual health care. Clinicians interested in arranging a shadowing experience at SFCC of up to 4 half-days (which could potentially be structured to 2 full days, depending on the learner’s needs) can contact us at captc@ucsf.edu to learn more.

Scaling Up HIV Prevention Services in STI Specialty Clinics

As a supplemental CDC-funded project, the CAPTC clinical team provides robust clinical training and technical assistance that supports STI specialty clinics to build capacity in biomedical HIV preventive services, such as PrEP, in the Western United States. The clinical team identified five STI clinics in high-morbidity areas serving key populations (including the Latinx community, African American men who have sex with men, women of reproductive age), conducted comprehensive clinic assessments to identify gaps and needs, and developed and implemented iterative trainings and technical assistance. We continue to provide targeted TA and training to the clinics with a particular focus on data systems, data-informed quality improvement, biomedical HIV service navigation and access (including injectable PrEP), and improvement of services for specific underserved populations.

Take a look at our PrEP page to learn about upcoming trainings and to access resources.

Sexual Health Education (SHE)

The Sexual Health Educator (SHE) Training Program is an online training for California educators working with youth in school, community, and clinical settings who desire to build their sexual health knowledge and education skills. Upon the successful completion of the program’s modules, participants will receive a certificate of completion. Both the required and elective modules include up-to-date information and research on a variety of priority sexual health topics.

This program was created by sexual health educators, trainers, and experts from the California Department of Public Health, STD Control Branch; the California Department of Education; the California Prevention Training Center; and other partner organizations.

Services Offered

Clinicians: Got a Tough STI Question?

We are a proud member of the STD Clinical Consultation Network (STDCCN) Opens in a new tab operated by the NNPTC.

This service is intended for licensed healthcare professionals and STI public health program staff. We do not provide direct medical care, treatment planning or medical treatment services to individuals.

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STI Clinical Resources

Access the latest STI guidelines and best practices for STI management geared towards practicing physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health professionals caring for patients with or at risk for STIs.

Trainings and Resources

Below, explore trainings and resources from the clinical team. To view additional materials from other CAPTC programs, check out our trainings and resources.

Clinical STI Trainings and Resources

October Injectable PrEP Update
Thursday, October 17, 12-1pm PT. Special guests: Nick Sanders, Senior Prevention Program Manager, and Angela Mattingly, Clinical Pharmacist, at Damien Center (Indianapolis, IN). Nick and Angela will talk about their…

Webinar

STI Intensive
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.

Training and Courses

STI Clinical Update Webinar – Syphilis in Pregnancy
November 20, 2024 12:00PM-1:15PM (PST) 1.25 CME units at no cost. Drs. Kathleen Jacobson and Wyatt Hanft will provide a 1-hour virtual training focused on syphilis clinical presentation, screening/testing, diagnosis,…

Training and Courses

PrEP Learning Collaborative Injectable PrEP Update
Special Guest: Stefan Madzar, PrEP & HIV Benefits Coordinator & Linkage Navigator at Magnet (San Francisco AIDS Foundation).  Stefan will present an update on Magnet’s injectable PrEP program, including challenges,…

Webinar

Mpox Job Aids
CAPTC is pleased to announce two job aids, focused on mpox recognition, diagnosis, testing, treatment, and vaccination. The shorter job aid is called “Mpox Clinical Recognition and Testing Quicksheet: Mpox…

Job Aids

Clinical Practice Alert: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening and Treatment

Clinical Practice Alert: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening and Treatment

Key recommendations for chlamydia and gonorrhea screening and treatment for individuals assigned female at birth.

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STD Expert Hour Webinar – Delivering Sexual Health Services in the Time of COVID-19

August 13, 2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting the delivery of sexual health services in California and throughout the United States. Dr. Ina Park and Dr. Rosalyn Plotzker provide an overview of recent CDC recommendations for STD diagnosis and treatment when in-person exams and visits are limited. They also discuss best practices for the use of telehealth and home-testing for STD care and PrEP management.

Drs. Park and Plotzker cover the following learning objectives for this webinar:

  1. Share implementation strategies for self-collected testing to minimize clinician exposure to COVID-19 when seeing clients for STD-related symptoms
  2. Identify changes to recommended syndromic treatment of urethritis, including treatment for gonorrhea and chlamydia
  3. Describe management recommendations for patients with genital ulcer disease
  4. Discuss HIV PrEP telehealth management approaches to ensure continuation of PrEP use for clients who are unable to get care in a clinic setting during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency

Clinical Practice Alert: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening and Treatment

June 20, 2019

Rates of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) such as chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and gonorrhea (GC) have reached an all-time high. In the U.S., California leads the nation in reported cases of these STDs. Because persons with CT and GC are often asymptomatic, screening is essential for the early detection and treatment that can prevent reproductive complications including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain in females and epididymitis in males.

This webinar covers current clinical guidelines for routine and targeted screening, treatment, follow-up, and prevention of CT and GC.

Learning objectives:

  1. Understand current guidelines for screening for CT and GC among sexually active women and men
  2. List the indications for anorectal and oropharyngeal CT/GC screening
  3. Explain when test-of-cure is indicated
  4. Identify the proper ICD-10 codes for lab requests and billing information

Presenters:

Resources:

Extragenital Screening

Extragenital Screening

Don’t forget to swab! Among men who have sex with men, 84% of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections would be missed with urine-only screening1. Make sure your clients are screened for gonorrhea and chlamydia of the throat and rectum.

3 cotton swabs
What:Extragenital Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia
Where:Rectum and throat
Who:Men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender women, people living with HIV, and people on PrEP who report having receptive anal and/or oral sex
When:At least annually, or every 3 to 6 months as needed based on exposure
Why:  When urine-only screening is performed, up to 90% of rectal gonorrhea and 77% of rectal chlamydia infections remain untreated1. HIV-negative men diagnosed with rectal infections are excellent candidates for PrEP, because they have a high risk of HIV infection
How: Swab specimen (self or clinician-collected swab)

The California Prevention Training Center supports clinics and providers in implementing rectal and pharyngeal STI screening.

For more information, contact us.

  1. Marcus JL, Bernstein KT, Kohn RP, Liska S, Philip SS. Infections missed by urethral-only screening for chlamydia or gonorrhea detection among men who have sex with men. Sexually transmitted diseases. 2011 Oct 1;38(10):922-4.

Extragenital Screening Resources

Extragenital Screening Resources

Extragenital (rectum and throat) gonorrhea and chlamydia screening resources for providers, clinics, and patients. 

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Chlamydia Screening Toolkit

Chlamydia Screening Toolkit

This toolkit includes a series of training guides and resources to support the facilitation of interactive learning sessions focused on implementing chlamydia best practice recommendations.

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Chlamydia Screening Change Package

Chlamydia Screening Change Package

This document reviews best practice recommendations and suggested implementation strategies to increase chlamydia screening rates, specifically among Title X grantees.