About the Division of STD Prevention

The mission of the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to provide national leadership, research, policy development, and scientific information to help people live safer, healthier lives by the prevention of STDs and their complications. This mission is accomplished by assisting health departments, healthcare providers and non-government organizations (NGO) through the provision of timely science-based information and by clearly interpreting such information to the general public and policy makers. The Division’s specific disease prevention goals are contextualized within the broader framework of the social determinants of health, the promotion of sexual health, and the primary prevention of sexually transmitted disease.

• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, Division of STD Prevention Director, on STD prevention and control accomplishments in 2021 and upcoming events and resources for 2022. (January 24, 2022)
• Dear Colleague Letter: Dr. Leandro Mena, MD, MPH, Division of STD Prevention Director, on the future of STI prevention and joining CDC as the new division directorpdf icon (August 2, 2021)
• Dear Colleague Letter: White House announces $1.13 billion investment to strengthen the disease intervention specialists workforce.pdf icon (May 13, 2021)
• Dear Colleague Letter: NASEM Releases New Report on STI Prevention and Controlpdf icon (March 24, 2021)
• Dear Colleague Letter: Announcement about Updated Sexually Transmitted Infections Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost Estimatespdf icon (Jan 25, 2021)
  • STI Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost Estimates
• Dear Colleague Letter: Gail Bolan, MD, Division of STD Prevention Director, on the STI National Strategic Planpdf icon (December 18, 2020)
  • STI National Strategic Planexternal icon
• Dear Colleague Letter: 2020 STD Prevention Conference Closing and Thank You from Dr. Gail Bolan, MD, Division of STD Prevention Directorpdf icon (September 25, 2020)
• Dear Colleague Letter: 2020 STD Prevention Conference Day One Recap from Gail Bolan, MD, Division of STD Prevention Directorpdf icon (September 15, 2020)
• Dear Colleague Letter: Shortage of STI Diagnotic Test Kits and Laboratory Suppliespdf icon (September 8, 2020)
• Dear Colleague Letter: Updated: Toolkit for Technology-based STD and HIV Partner Servicespdf icon (June 19, 2020)
• Dear Colleague Letter: STD Care and Prevention Guidance During Disruption of Clinical Services: Providing effective care and prevention when facility-based services and in-person patient-clinician contact is limitedpdf icon (April 6, 2020)
• Infographic: STDs compromise Americans’ health and cost millions of dollars in healthcarepdf icon (January 2, 2020)
• Latest STD Data from CDCpdf icon

CDC’s Division of STD Prevention concentrates its efforts on four focus areas to guide STD prevention and maximize long term impact.

• Adolescents and Young Adults
• Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)
• Pregnant Women
• STD Prevention Systems

DSTDP is a Division in the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP).

• National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP)
• Division of HIV Prevention (DHP)
• Division of Viral Hepatitis Prevention (DVH)
• Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE)
• Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)