STI checks for women

Summary of changes

Addition: Added POC test for syphilis to Check. 

Deleted: ‘for aciclovir IV’ from dot point ‘If severe episode — medical consult, send to hospital for aciclovir'. Removed reference to freezing (cryotherapy) from last dot point re large/lots of warts. 

Medicines 

  • For genital herpes if pregnant: Valaciclovir replaces acyclovir. For genital wart treatment: deleted imiquimod as option. Podophyllotoxin 0.15% cream is no longer available since Oct 2019. Only the solution is available. Removed option of imiquimod for treatment of genital lumps if pregnant as eTG categorises as B1 for pregnancy, BASHH 2007 guidelines note not approved for use in pregnancy or internally. Protocol now recommends medical consult if pregnant
  • Updated Changed in genital herpes if pregnant aciclovir to valaciclovir — as recommended by EAG due to the dosing (twice rather than three times a day) and both being categorised by the eTG as B3 (also supported by the SA perinatal guideline Genital Herpes Simplex (HSV) Infection in Pregnancy) endorsed by Megan Halliday (Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alice Springs Hospital)

Primary references

  1. Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (2021) Australian STI Management Guidelines for use in primary care, accessed 4 April 2022.

  2. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (2021) British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Guidelines, BASHH guidelines, accessed 4 April 2022.

  3. Expert Groups for Antibiotic, version 16 (2021) Antibiotic, Therapeutic Guidelines, accessed 24 April 2022.

  4. International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (2021) International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) Treatment Guidelines, Treatment Guidelines (Europe), accessed 20 May 2022.

  5. South Australian Maternal, Neonatal and Gynaecology Community of Practice (2020) Genital Herpes Simplex (HSV) Infection in Pregnancy, SA Perinatal Practice Guidelines, accessed 11 January 2022.

  6. Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, Johnston CM, Muzny CA, Park I, Reno H, Zenilman JM and Bolan GA (2021) Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Recommendations and Reports Vol 70(4), accessed 20 May 2022.