Syphilis: Resources for clinicians
| Clinician’s Tool Kit may be ordered or downloaded from our web site. |
Healthcare and Men who Have Sex With Men: Challenges and Opportunities |
Sample syphilis testing and treatment protocol now available for download and to view on-line. |
Aid to Diagnosis information page We now have a photo guide to aid in syphilis diagnosis. Its available on-line or as a PDF download, as well as ordered as part of the syphilis tool kit. |
How you can help eliminate syphilis
Health care providers are the front line of any effort to eliminate syphilis. Offering your patients the highest quality health care is your goal, and helping you in that effort is ours.
Keys to addressing syphilis with your patients:
Be alert for syphilis. Many clinicians have rarely encountered syphilis, if at all, in their practice. Re-familiarize yourselves with the routes of transmission, the symptoms, and treatments.
Taking a good risk assessment is one key to appropriate care. Know what questions to ask when assessing your patient's risk. MDH has a new Risk Assessment Tool that may help.
Have a written protocol. Syphilis treatment guidelines can be complex and require extensive follow-up. It is important for clinics to have clear procedure for best patient care. MDH has a new sample testing and treatment protocol for your use.
File required case reports. It is mandatory that syphilis be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health within one day. Visit here for case reporting instructions.
MDH offers free a tool kit for clinicians. It may be ordered or downloaded from our web site.
For more information:
- Minnesota Syphilis elimination toolkit for health care providers
- Minnesota STD statistics
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines
- CDC Public Health Image Library
For more information on syphilis, call 651-201-5414
Content Notice: This site contains HIV or STD prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. Since HIV and other STDs are spread primarily through sexual practices or by sharing needles, prevention messages and programs may address these topics. If you are not seeking such information or may be offended by such materials, please exit this web site.
External Links
inSPOT Minnesota - internet partner self-referral
Stop Syphilis Minnesota
A program of the Hennepin County Public Health Clinic – Red Door Services, this site offers syphilis and HIV testing and education for adult gay and bisexual men. Attention: Non-MDH link
Toll-free hotline for confidential information about the prevention, testing locations and treatment of STDs in Minnesota (1-800-78-FACTS).
CDC Syphilis Elimination Project
This is the home for the federal effort to eliminate syphilis.
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.
