Within the framework of the 24th International Conference on the HIV/Page, held in Montreal (Canada), researchers presented the results of a study on a antibiotic that reduces the contagion of three Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
As revealed, the doxycycline reduced rates of gonorrhea y clamidia in more than 60% in men who have sex with men and appeared to be very effective against syphilis.
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“We now have two studies that support the use of doxycycline as PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) in men who have sex with men. he pointed Annie Luetkemeyerthe study leader and fellow at the University of California, San Francisco.
The expert specified that this antibiotic, ingested after unprotected sex (without a condom), can drastically reduce the contagion of these three bacterial STDs in high-risk groups, that is, people with comorbidities and autoimmune diseases.
The condom is the best and only tool to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. (Photo: Adobe Stock)
It’s about a scientific progress very important in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases. During the test, the specialists decided to stop the investigation thanks to the excellent results that the use of doxycycline in the volunteers.
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The study was conducted in a setting where STD rates increasedparticularly among the homosexualswhat reduced the use of condoms since the arrival of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) pills to HIV, a drug that blocks the ability of the virus to start an infection.
An earlier trial, also using doxycycline for post-exposure prophylaxis, had shown this antibiotic to be effective against syphilis and the clamidia in men who had sex with other men, but not against the gonorrhea.
However, for the new study, researchers in San Francisco and Seattle, United States, recruited about 500 personasmostly gay (including some trans women and gender-diverse people), who were monitored every three months.
Among them, some were taking PrEP against HIVwhile others were carriers of the HIVand in both groups, about two-thirds received doxycycline and a third did not.
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The pill, with a dose of 200 milligramswas administered within three days of unprotected sexual exposureand participants could continue to take it as needed, depending on how much sexual contact they had.
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In this way, the intervention reduced the incidence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in a 62% in the group living with HIV and in a 66% in the group taking PrEP against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, while side effects were mild and adherence levels remained high.
Doxycycline for high-risk groups
“I really think we’re in a place where we need to think hard about the implementation of this drug and how to get it into the guidelines,” Luetkemeyer said.
However, the scientist emphasized that the data currently support the treatment as an intervention aimed at high risk groups that have a high prevalence of STDs, but not for everyone.
Finally, the authors of the research pointed out that more studies are still needed to better understand the potential impacts on antibiotic resistance.
(Source: Telam)
Discovered on: 2022-07-28 12:28:50
Source: They manage to reduce the spread of three sexually transmitted diseases aft…
