STI Awareness Week 2025

STI Awareness Week is April 13-19, 2025. During this week, we raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Many times, STIs have no symptoms, and only getting tested can tell if someone has an STI. Without testing and treatment, many STIs cause serious health problems. They can cause permanent damage or even death. Everyone who is sexually active should be tested for STIs.

Recent Increases

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that about 1 in 5 people living in the U.S. had an STI on any given day in 2018. Since then, STIs have increased to levels not seen in decades. In Virginia, STIs continue to increase. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases all increased in 2023. Congenital syphilis cases in 2024 skyrocketed, which occurs when syphilis passes from a mother to child during pregnancy and it is completely preventable.

Recent increases in syphilis and congenital syphilis are particularly troubling. Congenital syphilis is preventable and leads to serious health issues for the baby. These can include developmental delays or even death, if left untreated.

What can we do?

Primary care, urgent care, and other healthcare providers are on the frontlines. Early STI diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing complications. VDH has syphilis prevention resources and general STI resources for healthcare providers.

Open and honest conversations about sexual health can help reduce STI-related stigma, fear, and discrimination. This will help make sure everyone has knowledge about prevention, testing, and treatment.

- Talk to your patients about sexual health.
- Test and treat following the CDC STI guidelines.
- Learn about other resources you may offer, such as DoxyPEP and PrEP.
- Find resources for STI Awareness Week to share.

Together we can turn the tide! Thank you for your partnership in STI prevention!

Overdose Spike Alert Bulletins

An Interstate 95 (I-95) Overdose Workgroup began in January 2025. The goal of the workgroup is to reduce overdoses along I-95 by increasing situational awareness so that organizations and communities have more time to prepare and deploy preventative resources. The I-95 corridor is a highly interconnected drug trafficking route. Increased overdose activity in one region may quickly move north or south, and over time, into communities further away from the interstate.

The workgroup has issued two spike alert bulletins since January. A spike alert bulletin is a targeted message that notifies recipients that there is an unexpected increase in drug-related overdoses in a specific area.

Overdose spikes along I-95 in Virginia have primarily been concentrated in Arlington, Chesterfield, Henrico, and Richmond City. Workgroup partners have identified corresponding overdose spikes along I-95 in Maryland and the District of Columbia within the same time frame (late January and early March).

To join the I-95 Overdose Workgroup or sign up to receive I-95 Spike Alert Bulletins, please email Autumn Yates, Viral Hepatitis and Harm Reduction Program Specialist, at autumn.yates@vdh.virginia.gov.

Personnel Announcements

Welcome

HIV and Hepatitis Surveillance (HHS) welcomes Reid Auchterlonie to the team! Reid started on March 10 as the newest HIV Data Analyst. She will be primarily working with prevention data but will also help with case surveillance and Ryan White. Reid has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She has recently moved back to Virginia from Nashville, Tennessee. Reid is passionate about public health and helping individuals in need, data quality and modernization, and preventing communicable diseases. Reid can be reached at reid.auchterlonie@vdh.virginia.gov.

Jimya Kitchen has joined the STD Prevention and Surveillance (SPS) Unit as the Ryan White Funding Compliance Analyst. Jimya moved to Richmond, Virginia, in 2018 to attend college at Virginia Commonwealth University. Since then, she has graduated and began working on her master’s degree. She previously served in health-related roles as a certified pharmacy technician and as an insurance specialist/representative. Jimya has a passion for helping others and making her community a better place. She is excited about her new role and looks forward to successfully contributing to the team. Jimya can be reached at jimya.kitchen@vdh.virginia.gov.