Surveillance data are critical for identifying disease trends, knowing where to target resources for prevention, and evaluating the impact of prevention efforts.

Objectives of Symposium: 

To describe the most recent trends for the three nationally notifiable STDs, the limitations and challenges of surveillance data, and emerging issues associated with each.

Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: 

With the increasing availability of electronic records, monitoring the large number of cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia poses new challenges.  At same time, the shifting epidemiology of syphilis to younger populations and the potential emergence of cephalosporin resistant gonorrhea require new approaches to meet these threats.