2010 STD Treatment Guidelines

The CDC has published it's 2010 STD Treatment Guidelines. Testing is addressed in a number of contexts, including those recommended for pregnant women (HIV, syphilis, hep B, chlamydia and, depending on risk factors, possibly gonorrhea and hep C), and as part of an STD reduction strategy. While not recommended in these guidelines, some experts believe pregnant women should also be screened for herpes simplex-2 virus (HSV-2).

The release of the 2010 guidelines is a good reminder to think about your own risk factors and the potential value of STD testing.

[King Leonides]

While not recommended in these guidelines, some experts believe pregnant women should also be screened for herpes simplex-2 virus (HSV-2).

That makes sense to me. If a mother is known to have HSV-2 (which probably means she has genital herpes) they'll take a couple of precautions, such as not using fetal scalp monitors (which could cause small abrasions on the baby's head, potentially making it easier for herpes to penetrate).

I should make clear that the vast majority of women with genital herpes delivery naturally and have health babies. It is NOT common for an infant to be born with herpes, but common-sense stuff should be followed.

I'll be honest, there's a lot of content (although very important & interesting) in the CDC document...I wish they published Cliff's Notes version! I did see on a CNN report that the CDC just started recommending annual syphilis screening for men sleeping with other men (MSM). This may be from a different report than the one Draco posted, but still notable news for 2010:

Syphilis has increased 39% since 2006, specifically among MSM who account for 62% of the reported cases. The CDC recommends that MSM are screened annually for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

Also, the rates of syphilis among black males ages 15-24 has tripled. A decade ago syphilis was on the verge of eradication and with such a significant increase, it's important to be aware of the risks & get screened annually, especially if you are in a high risk group for syphilis.

Here's a link to that report: Syphilis infections up; progress made on other STDs – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs