A new study suggests that an antibiotic called doxycycline can cut the risk of three bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — among people who have unprotected sex.
The study involved 232 men who took doxycycline after risky sexual encounters. Researchers found that the drug greatly reduced the risk of getting chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia (klah-MID-ee-uh) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. It is a bacterial infection and it can cause serious complications, including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also lead to serious birth defects in unborn babies. Chlamydia can be spread by having unprotected sex and it is easy to pass between partners.
It is a good idea for all sexually active people to get tested for chlamydia at least once every year. It is also a good idea to get screened more often, especially if you frequently change sexual partners. You can easily test for chlamydia with an at-home sex test.
Once you have been diagnosed with chlamydia, you will be given antibiotics to treat the infection. It is important to follow the full course of treatment to make sure the bacteria are completely eliminated from your body. It is also important to not have vaginal, oral or anal sex until the medication is finished. You should also avoid having sex with any partner who hasn’t been tested and treated for chlamydia.
Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics, and the bacteria are very unlikely to reappear once they have cleared up. However, it’s still a good idea to practice safe sex and use a condom for anal, vaginal, and oral sex. You should also tell any of your current or recent sex partners about your diagnosis so they can get tested and treated.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus). It usually grows in moist areas of the reproductive system. In women, it can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes (egg canals). This is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can lead to internal abscesses, which are hard to treat. It can also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening for both the mother and the baby.
Like chlamydia, gonorrhea is treatable with antibiotics. Symptoms usually disappear in less than a week. A doctor can check for gonorrhea with a simple cotton swab in the penis, urethra, or anus. Some people might not have any symptoms, and they won’t need to get tested.
There are DNA tests that can detect gonorrhea more accurately than cultures, which grow in a lab. These tests can be done on urine samples, which are easier to collect than genital fluid samples.
People who are at high risk for gonorrhea should consider getting regular STI screenings. These include people who have a new sexual partner, multiple partners, or sex outside a monogamous relationship; men who have sex with more than 1 man; and pregnant women (who should be tested early in the pregnancy). The first symptom of gonorrhea is usually vaginal discharge, but a person can also get genital pain, itching, swelling, or pus-filled pockets.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. It typically spreads through sexual activity, but the bacteria can also enter the body through minor cuts or abrasions in the skin or mucous membranes. It can also be spread from mother to infant during pregnancy or childbirth. Syphilis can cause severe and life-threatening health problems if not treated in the early stages.
The first sign of syphilis is usually a painless sore, called a chancre, that develops on the genital area. The infection is most infectious during its primary and secondary stages, but it can also spread through kissing or contact with a chancre that doesn’t have symptoms. The infection can be passed to a partner through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It can also be spread to a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, causing the infant to have tertiary syphilis, which can lead to severe and permanent health problems and even death.
Syphilis is easily treatable with antibiotics, but it’s important to wait until your treatment is completed and your sex partners are treated as well before resuming unprotected sex. In addition to abstaining from sex, there are several other methods of birth control that can reduce your risk of syphilis and other STIs, including using condoms, practicing safe sex, and avoiding recreational drugs that interfere with judgment.
Hepatitis
If you have hepatitis A or B, sex is not recommended while you’re infected. Symptoms can make vaginal sex unpleasant, and you can become re-infected. Hepatitis A and B can be passed through unprotected sex, but can also spread by sharing toothbrushes or razors that have been used on an infected person. Hepatitis A can be prevented by washing hands frequently, and hepatitis B and C can be prevented by not sharing personal items that may come in contact with blood.
You should use a condom or other method of birth control to prevent pregnancy and other sexually transmitted infections while you’re taking antibiotics that can cause an STD. If you have to have sex while on antibiotics, always use a back up method and do not have anal sex. You should wait until 7 days after the end of your antibiotic treatment (as long as you don’t have any symptoms) and you and all recent partners should get tested and treated for STIs, including HIV.
You can help prevent hepatitis by getting vaccinated for hepatitis A and B, not sharing personal items that might be exposed to blood such as toothbrushes and razors, and using latex or polyurethane condoms when having sex. You can also prevent hepatitis by not drinking alcohol, eating well, and getting enough sleep.
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