Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Drug-Resistance Growing in STDs

Rising rates of antibiotic resistance in general have been discussed extensively. What has not been addressed as specifically is the growing number of cases of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases. Data that show condom use is declining makes this trend even more alarming, the World Health Organization warns. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes the STD, in particular, has become prone to developing resistance to the drugs used to treat it, according to …

Urgent Care Providers, Be Aware: STDs Are More Common Than Ever

Despite ready availability of condoms—as well as information through providers, public outreach campaigns, and the ubiquitous internet, cases of sexually transmitted disease reported in the U.S. reached an all-time high last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Combined reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis totaled more than 1.8 million in 2015, according to the CDC’s annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report. Sadly, those numbers are probably lower than the true …

November 2011

STDs: Assessment and Treatment in Urgent Care

Urgent message: The patients most prone to sexually transmitted diseases are also mostly likely not to have a primary doctor. Many will turn to urgent care for help. THOMAS SUNSHINE, MD, FACOG As urgent care physicians, we often are presented with patients who are worried that they may have a sexually transmitted disease or infection (STD/I). The number of yearly visits is difficult to estimate because the diagnosis codes of the visits vary. The Center …

The Traveling Patient

Urgent message: The accessibility of urgent care makes it a prime venue for patients preparing for international travel and patients who may have become ill due to exposure to infectious agents while traveling overseas. Francine Olmstead, MD, FACP Whether a patient visits an urgent care center for an infection or a primary care physician for follow-up, every healthcare provider should inquire about anticipated overseas travel. In addition, if a patient is being evaluated for a …