Individuals at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may benefit from taking doxycycline, a commonly prescribed antibiotic, shortly after having coitus to prevent the spread of certain STDs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released statistics on Tuesday, April 11, indicating an increasing occurrence of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Experts perceive the growth of STDs as a result of a reduction in condom use, insufficient sexual education, and decreased testing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Common Antibiotic as 'Morning-After Pill' Could Help Curb Increasing Cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections
Millions of Americans Get STDs Every Year
Every year, millions of people in the United States contract STDs, as per AP News' report. The groups with the highest rates include men with sex with men and individuals from Black, Hispanic, and Native American communities. Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., a public health lecturer, explained that these infections are a major public health issue, yet the problem has consistently gone unaddressed.
Despite efforts to combat the spread of STDs, rates continue to rise, and Dr. Leandro Mena, the director of the STD prevention division at the CDC, sees no indication that this trend will slow down.
Mississippi has the highest recorded number of gonorrhea cases, while Alaska experienced a surge in chlamydia cases, allowing it to surpass Mississippi. Meanwhile, South Dakota has the highest number of early-stage syphilis cases.
Along with rising STD rates, the U.S. also grapples with a 16% surge in HIV cases. The situation has prompted the CDC to call for increased efforts to prevent and treat STDs.
Dr. Mena stressed the importance of expanding and innovating prevention strategies to curb the spread of STIs. Arizona currently has the highest number of cases of mothers passing syphilis to their babies, which can cause health problems and even death.
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Antibiotic Effective Against Some STDs
Doctors are turning to the common antibiotic doxycycline to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. A new study, titled "Postexposure Doxycycline to Prevent Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections," published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated the efficacy of the antibiotic as a kind of morning-after pill for preventing infection.
The study comprised around 500 gay and transgender people with a history of sexually transmitted infections in Seattle and San Francisco who were advised to take doxycycline within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
The New York Times reported that those who took the antibiotic were approximately 90% less likely to catch chlamydia, 80% less likely to develop syphilis, and over 50% less likely to contract gonorrhea than those who did not take the medication after sexual intercourse. Doxycycline is already used to treat a range of infections.
According to a recent report from Associated Press, the CDC is creating guidelines concerning the use of doxycycline as a preventative measure for STDs. Dr. Mena noted the need for innovative approaches to help to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The use of doxycycline will not be a magic bullet, but it would be another useful tool.
Doxycycline has proved less efficient when dealing with gonorrhea. However, it is hoped that treatment with a meningitis vaccine will cut the number of cases of the infection.
Until now, condom use has been the primary method for preventing the spread of sexually transmitted illnesses. Doxycycline could provide another mechanism for preventing the transmission of disease.
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