Preventative antibiotics could help curb STIs, new study shows

Some experts have raised concerns about antibiotic resistance, however.

by Urja Sinha | Jul. 24, 2024

Story at a glance

The U.S. faces the highest rate of new syphilis infections since 1950. In 2022, the last year for which data is available, there were 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and nearly 650,000 new cases of gonorrhea.

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines for the use of doxycycline within 72 hours after sex as post-exposure prophylaxis, or doxyPEP, to lower the risk of bacterial STIs among gay and bisexual men and transgender women.

A new study examines taking a daily dose of doxyPEP as a preventative measure, which may be better for individuals with frequent exposure to infections.

(NewsNation) — A new public health movement seeks to use a daily dose of an antibiotic to prevent some sexually transmitted infections rather than simply treating them.

While the promising new research has raised hopes, concerns about drug-resistant infections have also arisen.

The new study comes as the U.S. faces the highest rate of new syphilis infections since 1950, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in January. In 2022, the last year for which data is available, there were 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and nearly 650,000 new cases of gonorrhea.

Enter doxycycline, a common antibiotic that has long been used for several purposes, including treating acne.

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines for the use of doxycycline within 72 hours after sex as post-exposure prophylaxis, or doxyPEP, to lower the risk of bacterial STIs among gay and bisexual men and transgender women.

The treatment was limited to these groups because a recent clinical trial of doxyPEP among cisgender women didn’t show any benefit.

However, the new study examines taking a daily dose of doxyPEP as a preventative measure, which may be better for individuals with frequent exposure to infections.

“I have had some patients prefer the once-a-day, adding the pill to their daily medication routine and not worrying about when or how to take it after sex,” Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of infectious disease at the University of Southern California, said of the doxyPrEP protocol. “Other patients prefer the single dose after sex — simple and easy.”