Points & Pearls: Emergency department diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases are a growing threat to public health, but are often underrecognized, due to the often nonspecific (or absent) signs and symptoms, the myriad diseases, and the possibility of co-infection. Emergency clinicians play a critical role in improving healthcare outcomes for both patients and their partners. Optimizing the history and physical examination, ordering appropriate testing, and prescribing antimicrobial therapies, when required, will improve outcomes for men, women, and pregnant women and their babies. This issue reviews the latest evidence in the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, focusing on efficient and safe strategies to optimize outcomes. [Points & Pearls is a digest of Emergency Medicine Practice.]