Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)

Clinical Pathways promote evidence-based, safe, and high-value care for patients by providing clinical recommendations and standard processes. They are developed by multidisciplinary committees of subject matter experts, informed by a methodical review of available evidence and consensus among committee members. 

Clinical Pathways:

• Sexually Transmitted Infections Algorithm
  • Includes:
    • Screening and Testing Algorithm
    • Treatment algorithm
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Synopsis (provides care standards employed for this clinical pathway)

Additional tools associated with this Clinical Pathway:

• STI Screening Tool 
• Confidentiality Tips

Patient STI Education

• For providers with Children's Mercy privileges:
  Patient education can be accessed in EPIC -or-  via the link below. Recommend printing instead for patient confidentiality.
  • Healthy Sexual Behaviors: English - Spanish
  • Telling your partner you have an STD
  • STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
• For providers without Children's Mercy privileges:
  Patient education can be accessed through the following links:
  • Healthy Sexual Behaviors: English - Spanish
  • Telling your partner you have an STD
  • STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Inclusion and exclusion criteria:

Inclusion:

Patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of an STI.

• Female:
  • Vaginal pruritus
  • Vaginal discharge
  • Intermenstrual bleeding or menorrhagia
  • Dysuria
  • Urinary urgency or frequency
  • Genital lesions
  • Abdominal or pelvic pain with no alternate diagnosis
  • Cervical motion tenderness

• Male:
  • Urethral discharge
  • Unilateral testicular pain or swelling
  • Dysuria
  • Urinary urgency or frequency
  • Painful ejaculation
  • Genital lesions

• Patients with risk factors for STI:
  • History of sexual activity
  • Sexual assault
  • Known or recent STI exposure
  • Concern for pregnancy
  • Concern for drug or alcohol use
  • Patient request testing for STI

Exclusion:

• Pre-pubertal child
  • Call the SCAN provider on call
• Treatments of the following diagnoses are excluded from this guideline:
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Epididymitis, orchitis, or proctitis
  • Immunocompromised patients
  • Hepatitis
  • Alternative treatments are not included in this guideline
    • Please refer to the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
• Special Considerations for STI Screening and Testing
  Consult Social Work for the following scenarios:
  • Concern for abuse/neglect
  • Concern for human trafficking
  • Patient aged < 17 years: consider the age of the partner
  • Patients with developmental delay
  • Known pregnancy

Committee members involved in the development:

• Diane Petrie, FNP-BC, AAHIVS, CPN | Infectious Disease | Committee Chair
• Andrea Nos, MD | Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine | Committee Member
• Rachel Whitfield, MSN, APRN, FNP-C | Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine | Committee Member
• Gladesia Tolbert, DNP, CPNP, PMHS | General Academic Pediatrics | Committee Member
• Alaina Burns, PharmD, BCPPS | Infectious Diseases, Pharmacy | Committee Member
• Rangaraj Selvarangan, BVSc, PhD, D(ABMM), FIDSA, F(AMM) | Clinical Pathology | Committee Member
• Neena Kanwar, PhD | Clinical Pathology | Committee Member
• Melissa A Smith, APRN | Hospital Medicine | Committee Member
• Katie Stangler, MSN, APRN, CPNP, CCRN | Advanced Practice, Acute & Critical Care | Committee Member
• Amanda Nedved, MD | Urgent Care | Committee Consultant
• Mitchell McKinnon, MD | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | Committee Consultant
• Alexandra Buck, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CPN | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | Committee Consultant

EBP Committee Members:

• Kathleen Berg, MD, FAAP | Hospitalist, Evidence Based Practice
• Andrea Melanson, OTD, OTR/L | Evidence Based Practice

Publication dates:

• Finalized date: 9/2026
• Next expected revision date: 9/2030

If you have any questions regarding this content or identify a broken link, please email evidencebasedpractice@cmh.edu. 

These pathways do not establish a standard of care to be followed in every case. It is recognized that each case is different, and those individuals involved in providing health care are expected to use their judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the patient based on the circumstances existing at the time. It is impossible to anticipate all possible situations that may exist and to prepare a pathway for each. Accordingly, these pathways should guide care with the understanding that departures from them may be required at times.