Warning:

This document is being maintained for historical purposes, but is now out of date. To view current guidelines please visit:

• STD Treatment Guidelines   at http://www.cdc.gov/STD/treatment

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1993 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines

09/24/1993

SUGGESTED CITATION
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1993 Sexually
transmitted diseases treatment guidelines. MMWR 1993;42(No. RR-14):
{inclusive page numbers}.

CIO Responsible for this publication:
National Center for Prevention Services,
Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV Prevention

Prevention Messages

     Preventing the spread of STDs requires that persons at risk
for transmitting or acquiring infections change their behaviors.
When risks have been identified, the health-care provider has an
opportunity to deliver prevention messages. Counseling skills are
essential to the effective delivery of prevention messages (i.e.,
respect, compassion, and a nonjudgmental attitude). Techniques that
can be effective in developing rapport with the patient include
using open-ended questions, using language that the patient
understands, and reassuring the patient that treatment will be
provided regardless of considerations such as ability to pay,
citizenship or immigration status, language spoken, or lifestyle.

     Prevention messages should be tailored to the patient, with
consideration given to his or her specific risks. Messages should
include a description of measures, such as the following, that the
person can take to avoid acquiring or transmitting STDs:

--   The most effective way to prevent sexual transmission of HIV
     infection and other STDs is to avoid sexual intercourse with an
     infected partner.

--   If a person chooses to have sexual intercourse with a partner
     whose infection status is unknown or who is infected with HIV or
     other STDs, men should use a new latex condom with each act of
     intercourse.

--   When a male condom cannot be used, couples should consider
     using a female condom.

Injection Drug Users
     Prevention messages appropriate for injection drug users are
     the following:

--   Enroll or continue in a drug treatment program.

--   Do not, under any circumstances, use injection equipment
     (needles, syringes) that has been used by another person.

--   Persons who continue to use injection equipment that has been
     used by other persons should first clean the equipment with bleach
     and water. (Disinfecting with bleach does not sterilize the
     equipment and does not guarantee that HIV is inactivated. However,
     thoroughly and consistently cleaning injection equipment with
     bleach should reduce the rate of HIV transmission when equipment is
     shared.)

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