Examination and Interpretation of Wet Preparations of Vaginal Specimens

Intended for Practicing Clinicians with Prior Wet Mount Experience

The course begins with a fifteen minute didactic presentation on applicable issues of CLIA regulation, quality control, and interpretation vaginal wet mount (VWM) for common causes of vaginitis. This will be followed by a fifteen minute video that details through the microscope footage of findings on VWM including trichomads, yeast and clue cells associated with BV. The remaining two and one-half hours consists of experiential training, including laboratory practicum on examination of saline and KOH vaginal wet mounts (VWM). During this portion of the training, participants will have an opportunity for group discussion, explanation, and demonstration, as well as practice and return demonstration.

Learning Objectives

  • Practice proper preparation of saline and KOH specimens of vaginal fluid to increase viability of specimens for microscopic evaluation.
  • Perform proper use of the light microscope to improve examination of saline and KOH wet mount specimens.
  • Assess wet mount microscopy specimens to appropriately interpret findings that support diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis

March 30, 2023 from 2:00PM – 5:00PM (PDT)
UCSF Parnassus Heights Campus: San Francisco, CA
Instructors: Sharon Adler, MD, MPH and Lee Fagen, NP

National STD Curriculum

A free educational website from the University of Washington STD Prevention Training Center.

Syphilis Treatment Intervals in Non-Pregnant Patients: A Clinical Resource for Providers

What are appropriate treatment intervals for late latent syphilis or syphilis of unknown duration in non-pregnant people?

Prepared by the STD Control Branch, California Department of Public Health and California Prevention Training Center. Revised February 2023.

STI Clinical Update Webinar-Back to Basics: Fundamentals of STI/HIV Prevention

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 12:00-1:15PM (PDT)
A review of screening, treatment, and vaccination tools to prevent STIs and HIV.
Presented by Drs. Caterina Liu and Kurtis Mohr

Learning Objectives:

  • Review screening and treatment guidance for STIs and HIV.
  • Integrate biochemical prevention tools for STIs and HIV into clinical practice.
  • Summarize recommendations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV, meningitis, and mpox vaccination.

STI Expert Hour Webinar: Mycoplasma Genitalium – What’s New?

January 18, 2023, 11:30 AM-12:45 PM (PST)

Presented by Dr. Lindley Barbee

This webinar will focus on an update of the clinical and epidemiologic aspects of Mycoplasma genitalium.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe clinical syndromes associated with Mycoplasma genitalium
  • Recognize trends in M. genitalium antimicrobial resistance
  • Manage difficult treatment issues M. genitalium

California STI Screening Recommendations

California Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Screening Recommendations

This resource from the California Department of Public Health and California Prevention Training Center provides a concise, gender-specific summary of recommended STI screening practices.

Download the California STI Screening Recommendations.

Or view the recommendations as a website.

STI Clinical Update Webinar: Syndromic Management of STIs – Part 2

Tuesday, December 6, 2022 from 12:00PM-1:15PM (PST)

Presented by Drs. Kathleen Jacobson and Kelly Johnson

A case-based approach to recognizing sexually transmitted infections, with a focus on those that disseminate outside the genital tract.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify various presentations of STI ulcerative disease
  • Understand that certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can disseminate outside the genital tract, sometimes causing severe disease
  • Recognize the varied clinical manifestations of disseminated STIs (including disseminated gonococcal infections, secondary syphilis, and mpox)
  • Understand how to diagnose and manage disseminated STIs

Syndromic Management of STIs-Part 1

October 18, 2022

Presented by Drs. Rosalyn Plotzker, Akanksha Vaidya, and Eric Tang

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) continues to see statewide increases in all reportable sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.

For many patients, these STIs manifest as a complex syndrome that involves local and systemic symptoms. This webinar is the first of a two-part series, featuring Drs. Rosalyn Plotzker,

Akanksha Vaidya, and Eric Tang of the CDPH Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Branch who will lead a case-based discussion on the presentation, diagnosis and syndromic management of STIs.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the differential diagnosis and management of patients with vaginal discharge and pelvic pain
  • Discuss the exam findings and treatment of patients with penile discharge and testicular pain
  • Explain the management of patients with anorectal pain in the setting of a known STI exposure

Clinical Interpretation of Syphilis Screening Algorithms

Clinical Interpretation of Syphilis Screening Algorithms

Providing guidance on the traditional screening algorithm and reverse screening algorithm.

various microscopic images of pathogens

Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) for Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Resource for California Health Care Providers

Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) for Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Resource for California Health Care Providers

Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) is the clinical practice of treating sex partners of patients diagnosed with treatable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis – without the health care provider first examining the partner(s).

This document explains what EPT is and why clinicians in California should prescribe it. In-depth references are also provided.

California Department of Public Health Logo