CATIE news story
Clinical trials have found that doxycycline taken after sexual exposure — called doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, or doxyPEP for short — significantly reduces the risk of developing chlamydia and syphilis. In some cases, doxyPEP can also reduce the risk of gonorrhea. However, in the past, a class of antibiotics called tetracyclines (of which doxycycline is a member) was used to treat gonorrhea, and the bacteria that cause this infection have acquired the ability to resist tetracyclines (and, therefore, doxycycline). As a result, doxyPEP is not always effective at reducing the risk of gonorrhea.
Monitoring the development of gonorrhea-causing bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics is important, as there are dwindling treatment options. Historically, these bacteria have eventually developed the ability to resist many antibiotics.
A team of scientists in France has been studying samples (urine, anal and throat swabs) from participants in a study called DOXYVAC. In this clinical trial, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men were randomly assigned to receive doxyPEP or no doxyPEP.
Researchers assessed the ability of gonorrhea-causing bacteria to develop resistance.
Read the full news story here.