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Congenital Syphilis Cases on the Rise
Congenital syphilis cases reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services more than doubled last year amid an ongoing increase in syphilis among women of childbearing age and an enhanced public health effort to detect and track cases. There were 367 cases of congenital syphilis in Texas in 2018, up from 164 in 2017.
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Proposed Policy Revision – ARIES Security Policy
The DSHS HIV/STD Program is revising the ARIES Security Policy (231.001). The purpose of the policy to define security standards for protecting the confidential information collected and maintained in the AIDS Regional Evaluation System (ARIES) database by the HIV Care Services Data Group within the HIV/STD program. Draft ARIES Security Policy (PDF : 808 kB) | Current Policy. As part of this process, DSHS asks providers, consumers, and interested stakeholders to review these documents and provide comments. We value your opinion and hope that you will take the time to review and give feedback. Please submit comments to
Betsy.Cohn@dshs.texas.gov. Public comment will be accepted until January 30, 2020.
CDC Releases Update on Status of HIV Testing, Viral Suppression, and PrEP
CDC released Vital Signs: Status of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing, Viral Suppression, and HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis — United States, 2013–2018 [CDC] on December 3, 2019.
2018 Texas STD Surveillance Report and Texas HIV Annual Report
DSHS released the
2018 Texas STD Surveillance Report (PDF : 2,833 kB) and the
2018 Texas HIV Annual Report (PDF : 433 kB).
Revised 10 Questions About HIV, Syphilis, and Pregnancy Brochure
DSHS revised the brochure
10 Questions About HIV, Syphilis, and Pregnancy (PDF : 2,124 kB) to conform with Section 5 of
SB 748 [Texas Legislature] which takes effect on September 1, 2019. DSHS also revised the Spanish version
10 preguntas sobre el VIH, la sífilis y el embarazo (PDF : 2,126 kB).
Treatment as Prevention
The CDC recently released a letter encouraging providers to continue spreading the word about the power of viral suppression to improve the health of people with HIV and to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. For Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), the science is strong and clear; the data show that the effectiveness for ART with viral suppression is estimated to be 100% for preventing sexual transmission of HIV.
Read the letter (PDF : 210 kB).
DSHS Updates Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Position Statement and Releases Dear Colleague Letter for PrEP
DSHS updated the
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) position statement on January 14, 2019. DSHS also released a
Dear Colleague letter detailing the current evidence behind PrEP (PDF : 387 kB).
Recommendations Regarding the Use of Dolutegravir in Adults and Adolescents with HIV who are Pregnant or of Child-Bearing Potential
An NIH-funded observational surveillance study of birth outcomes among pregnant women on antiretroviral therapy in Botswana identified neural tube defects in four infants born to 426 women who initiated a dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimen prior to pregnancy, and who were still receiving it at the time of conception. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Antiretroviral Guidelines Panels are issuing recommendations... Learn more [AIDSinfo.gov]
Health Advisory: Rapidly Growing Clusters of Ongoing HIV Transmission in Texas
DSHS encourages Texas healthcare providers to enhance efforts to prevent, diagnose and treat HIV in the wake of 16 rapidly growing clusters of HIV infections in the state. Laboratory analysis of these infections indicates sustained transmission of genetically similar types of HIV... read the Health Advisory: Rapidly Growing Clusters of Ongoing HIV Transmission in Texas (PDF : 327 kB) and
read the Molecular HIV Surveillance - Genotype Clusters Talking Points (PDF : 189 kB)
CDC Issues Guidance for Preventing Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus
CDC has issued new interim guidance on preventing sexual transmission of Zika virus... Learn more
Drug Resistant Gonorrhea on the Rise
Gonorrhea is developing a resistance to the last classes of drugs available in the U.S. that are able to cure infection... Learn more
This site contains HIV or STD messages that may not be deemed appropriate for all audiences. Since HIV and other STDs are spread primarily through sexual practices or by sharing needles, 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. Photos on this website are all posed by a model.