Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections in adolescents--what's new?

BACKGROUND: Significant changes are taking place in the diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in adolescents and young adults.

FINDINGS: In this review article, we provide an update of STIs in adolescents and young adults including: (1) Adolescent risk; (2) Screening guidelines; (3) Clinical manifestations; (4) Diagnostic testing; (5) Treatment; and (6) Prevention; with an emphasis on "what's new" in the field.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: While the impacts of STI epidemiology and health care access are leading to new recommendations for screening and prevention, changes in technology and drug resistance are promoting new methods of STI testing and ongoing revisions of STI treatment recommendations.