Honoring Beth Marschak
Most of our partners have now heard the sad news that our colleague and friend, Beth Marschak, passed away suddenly on June 3. A tribute to her legacy is located on our Facebook and on our website. Her absence is deeply and profoundly felt.
In honor of her work starting and building the VDH Condom Distribution Program from the ground up, we are renaming the program, “The Beth Marschak Condom Program.” We will continue to honor Beth’s work and contributions to the communities of Virginia and the legacy she leaves behind each day.
Bicillin Restrictions for Local Health Departments
Benzathine penicillin G (Bicillin L-A®) is currently the only recommended treatment for syphilis during pregnancy. There is an ongoing shortage of this medicine in the United States. In the United States, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‑approved product is made by King Pharmaceuticals (a Pfizer company). This medication is still in shortage. In April 2026, Pfizer announced that the next shipment of both 1.2 million‑unit and 2.4 million‑unit prefilled syringes is scheduled for October 2026. They expect the full supply to be restored by Quarter 4 of 2027. This new timeline is one year later than what was first expected. The FDA website will continue to share updates.
The FDA is allowing the temporary importation of Lentocilin© due to the ongoing limited availability and extended recovery of Bicillin® L-A. The National Network of STD Prevention Training Centers has posted information for health care providers on the administration of Lentocilin©.
Until recently, health departments in Virginia had enough supply of Bicillin L-A® to treat all patients referred to their clinics. However, the shortage has lasted long enough that restrictions are now needed. As of May 31, 2026, health department clinics are using Bicillin L‑A® only for the following patients:
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- Pregnant women of any age
- Women of reproductive age (15-44), regardless of pregnancy status, who are infected with or exposed to syphilis
- Partners of pregnant women infected with syphilis
- Patients for whom there is a contraindication to alternative treatment regimens such as doxycycline, or who are highly unlikely to comply with an oral treatment regimen, are prioritized on a case-by-case basis, and as supply allows
Please continue to follow the syphilis alternative treatment guidance described in the clinician letter dated June 24, 2025. Should you need to treat a pregnant patient, infant or person allergic to doxycycline, VDH has Bicillin® L-A doses available through the Bicillin® L-A delivery program.
National HIV Testing Day
National HIV Testing Day is June 27. DDP will have a blog for the observance on the DDP homepage and several social media posts going out on the Disease Prevention Hotline Facebook. Feel free to share our blog and posts on your accounts.
For resources and/or help planning events, visit:
Personnel Announcements
Welcome
Debbie Guilbault joined DDP as the HIV Care Services Unit Director on June 25. Debbie left the Kansas Department of Health (DOH), where she served as the STI/HIV/Hepatitis Care, Prevention & Surveillance Section Chief since 2019. Prior to her work at the Kansas DOH, Debbie was the Executive Director of Positive Connections (formerly the Topeka AIDS Project) for 15 years. Debbie is actively engaged with NASTAD and currently serves as a board member. Welcome, Debbie!
DDP welcomed Erik Jarvis back to DDP as the MMP (Medical Monitoring Project) Coordinator- on June 10. He returned to DDP from the Division of Immunization within the Office of Epidemiology (OEpi), where he was the Vaccine Quality Assurance Consultant. Erik previously worked in MMP as the Project Coordinator and as an Epidemiology Specialist from 2018 to 2025. In addition, he has work experience as a Lead Disease Intervention Specialist. Erik can be reached at erik.jarvis@vdh.virginia.gov.
The Division is also excited to welcome Nan Haugan back. Nan will re-join DDP as the HIV & Hepatitis Surveillance (HHS) Unit Director on August 25 when she returns from parental leave. Nan has been with VDH since 2014 and held several roles in OEpi during that time. Nan’s DDP experience includes STD Epi & Surveillance Coordinator, STD Epi & Surveillance manager, and HIV Data Analyst. Most recently, she served as the Applied Epi and Health Information Manager in the Division of Surveillance and Investigation (DSI). Jenny Kienzle will continue to provide unit Director coverage for HHS in the interim.
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The new site for Resource Connections has launched! With the relaunch we've also rebranded it to call it “The RC” in short. Call it whichever you prefer – we'll know what you mean!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced another 12-month extension to the Strengthening STD Prevention and Control for Health Departments (STD PCHD) grant. The extension will cover the period of March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027.



Mpox cases continue to occur primarily in men. Mpox also disproportionately affects communities of color. Mpox cases have occurred in all five state health regions, with the greatest number of cases reported from Virginia’s Northern and Central health planning regions (82%).
On September 30, 2025, DDP received a surprising notice of award (NoA) for the HIV Medical Monitoring Project (MMP). Prior funding for MMP ended on May 31, 2025, and we were told the grant would not be renewed. Therefore, DDP ended the program and MMP staff were unfortunately laid off. Due to the unexpected nature of this new award, the back date of the project period to 6/1/25, and current federal government shut down, the remainder of the first year, or grant year 1, will be used to recruit staff and re-establish the program. DDP is awaiting further guidance from CDC, which will occur after the resolution of the federal government shutdown.
DIS (Disease Intervention Specialist) Recognition Day was Friday, October 3. This special day is observed nationally each year to promote the special work that our DIS do within our communities. The National Coalition for STD Directors, VDH, and DDP had blog postings for the occasion and promoted or shared posts and graphics on social media.
The Resource Connections website is being relaunched with a fresh new look and a new name — The RC: Resource Connections — on the Connect 211 platform! Along with the updated design, the site will feature a new logo and URL.
The Virginia Community HIV Planning Group (CHPG) needs new members. The CHPG works with DDP to develop and monitor Virginia’s Integrated HIV Services Plan. Their main goal is to end the HIV epidemic and improve the health of people with HIV. The Plan will guide DDP work over the next five years.
Bulk condom orders are currently on hold while the Department of General Services negotiates with Global Protection to renew its contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia. This situation has extended beyond initial expectations, resulting in temporary shortages of several brands, including non-latex condom options, lubricant, and Trojan Magnum condoms.