Updated STD guidelines from CDC coming soon.(News)

BOSTON -- The soon-to-be-released 2006 STD treatment guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention likely will include new recommendations for the diagnosis or treatment of gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, herpes simplex virus, and human papillomavirus, according to a former CDC official.

Some of the recommendations could change before publication of the final report, but probably not in these treatment areas, Dr. Willard Cates explained. Dr. Cates outlined his predictions for the new guidelines during a conference on contraceptive technology sponsored by Contemporary Forums.

The CDC plans to release the 2006 STD guidelines later this summer. They represent the first update since 2002. When making its recommendations, the CDC weighs scientific evidence, costs, availability, and ease of adherence.

According to Dr. Cates, the updated guidelines will recommend new regimens to treat homosexual men with gonorrhea, pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis, and all individuals with trichomoniasis. They will also recommend "what you might think of as suppressive therapy" to reduce herpes simplex virus transmission in heterosexual couples.

"Treatment is preventative," said Dr. Cates, president of the Family Health Institute in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

To improve dosing adherence among individuals with recurrent disease, some of the new guidelines will recommend higher antiviral dosing for shorter periods of time, he added.

In addition to diagnostic and treatment recommendations, the CDC will also emphasize counseling for sex partners and other ways of interrupting chains of transmission.