Providers and Professionals

Update to CDC's Treatment Guidelines for Gonococcal Infection, 2020 is focused toward the health care professionals.

Feel free to contact us at 850-245-4303 or send us an email DCHP.STD.Feedback@flhealth.gov.  

Emerging Issues

Florida Recommendations for Suspected Gonorrhea Treatment Failure

Gonorrhea treatment failure should be suspected if symptoms are present seven days following initial antibiotic treatment. Depending on the original site of infection, symptoms may include:

• Persistent urethral discharge, dysuria, and/or pyuria (positive leukocyte esterase on urine dipstick).
• Persistent pharyngitis, or odynophagia.
• Persistent rectal discharge, pain, bleeding, pruritis, tenesmus, or painful defecation.
• Persistent vaginal discharge, dysuria, or post-coital spotting.

Patients with persistent or recurrent symptoms who report sexual exposure to untreated or new partners may have been re-infected. Patients suspected of having a re-infection should be retreated with a recommended antibiotic regimen, see CDC STD Treatment Guidelines.

Reporting Guidelines

Rule 64D-3, Florida Administrative Code, entitled Control of Communicable Diseases and Conditions Which May Significantly Affect Public Health, is the mandate that ensures the Florida Department of Health can record communicable diseases and dictates when and how diseases are to be reported by both practitioners and laboratories.

• If you are a practitioner, you should report diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease (with the exception of HIV/AIDS) to your local health office or complete the Disease Report Form and fax it along with a copy of the lab to 850-414-8103.
• If you are a laboratory, you should contact the Department about electronic laboratory reporting at  ELR@flhealth.gov. Until you have implemented electronic reporting, you must continue to report to the local health office having jurisdiction for the area in which the office of the submitting practitioner or the patient's residence is located.

STD Case Definitions

The Florida Department of Health has a provider guide that provides 

• Clinical description - the clinical description provides information on physical evidence of signs or symptoms, a reported history of symptoms or exposure, or risk factors pertinent to the organism.
• Laboratory criteria for diagnosis - the laboratory criteria for diagnosis explains how a diagnosis can be reached and laboratory tests that can be used.
• Case classification - the case classification provides information on what is necessary to be present in a case:
  • probable - a probable case is one that cannot be established through laboratory testing alone, and/or where additional or alternate criteria are allowed
  • confirmed - a confirmed case is one definitively identified through laboratory testing.

Educational Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Training Resources

Contact Us

Contact us with any questions you may have regarding reporting and treatment by phone 850-245-4303, or email DCHP.STD.Feedback@flhealth.gov.