Before Taking This Medicine
You should not use azithromycin if you are allergic to it, or if:
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you have ever had jaundice or liver problems caused by taking azithromycin or
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you are allergic to similar drugs such as clarithromycin, erythromycin, or telithromycin.
To make sure azithromycin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
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low levels of potassium in your blood or
-
long QT syndrome .
This medicine is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether azithromycin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Will I Need To Go Back To The Clinic
If you take your antibiotics correctly, you may not need to return to the clinic.
However, you will be advised to go back for another chlamydia test if:
- you had sex before you and your partner finished treatment
- you forgot to take your medication or didnt take it properly
- your symptoms dont go away
- youre pregnant
If youre under 25 years of age, you should be offered a repeat test for chlamydia 3 to 6 months after finishing your treatment because youre at a higher risk of catching it again.
How Long Does Azithromycin Take To Cure Chlamydia
It usually takes approximately 7 days for azithromycin to cure chlamydia. However, it can take up to 2 weeks for the infection to go away completely.
Avoid having sex during treatment or until the infection has cleared. Youll want to make sure its completely cured, or else youll risk passing it to someone else.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Azithromycin
With any medication, there are risks and benefits. Even if the medication is working, you may experience some unwanted side effects.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following:
- Allergic reactions
loss of taste
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
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Granuloma Inguinale And Lymphogranuloma Venereum
Granuloma inguinale and lymphogranuloma venereum are rare in the United States. Granuloma inguinale presents as a painless, highly vascular ulcer that is caused by Calymmatobacterium granulomatis. Patients with lymphogranuloma venereum present most often with regional lymphadenopathy it is often a diagnosis of exclusion. The disease is caused by L serogroup strains of Chlamydia trachomatis. The diagnosis is usually made clinically and serologically. Treatment regimens for these diseases are given in Table 1.
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Will 1g Of Azithromycin Cure Gonorrhea
A single 1g dose of azithromycin is one of the recommended treatments for the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia. There is also evidence showing that a single 2g dose of the drug is highly effective against strains of gonorrhoea that are sensitive to the drug, but is associated with stomach upset.
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What Should I Discuss With My Healthcare Provider Before Using Azithromycin
You should not use azithromycin if you are allergic to it, or if you have ever had:
- jaundice or liver problems caused by taking azithromycin or
- a severe allergic reaction to similar drugs such as clarithromycin, erythromycin, or telithromycin.
Azithromycin oral should not be used to treat pneumonia in people who have:
- cystic fibrosis
- an infection after being in a hospital
- an infection in the blood
- a weak immune system or
- in older adults and those who are ill or debilitated.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- low levels of potassium in your blood
- a heart rhythm disorder or
- long QT syndrome .
It is not known whether this medicine is effective in treating genital ulcers in women.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Taking azithromycin while breastfeeding may cause diarrhea, vomiting, or rash in the nursing baby.
Azithromycin is not approved for use by anyone younger than 6 months old. Azithromycin should not be used to treat a throat or tonsil infection in a child younger than 2 years old.
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How To Get Rid Of The Side Effects
Azithromycin is also used to treat lung infection that affects people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus . It is specially used for children to treat ear and chest infections. Azithromycin is available in various forms:Tablets | Capsules | Syrup | Eye drops
Typical Dosing For Azithromycin
Adults:
- Pneumonia, strep throat, tonsillitis, and skin infections: Take 500 mg by mouth on day 1, followed by 250 mg by mouth once a day on days 2 through 5.
- Sinus infections: Take 500 mg by mouth once a day for 3 days.
- COPD flare-up: There are two sets of directions you can follow. You can take 500 mg by mouth once a day for 3 days, OR you can take 500 mg by mouth on day 1, followed by 250 mg by mouth once a day on days 2 through 5.
- Chancroid, chlamydia, and infections of the urethra and cervix not caused by gonorrhea: Take 1,000 mg by mouth one time only.
- Gonorrhea: Take 2,000 mg by mouth one time only.
Children :
- Middle ear infection: There are three sets of directions you can follow: Take 30 mg/kg by mouth one time only Take 10 mg/kg by mouth once a day for 3 days OR Take 10 mg/kg by mouth on day 1 and then take 5 mg/kg by mouth once a day on days 2 through 5.
- Sinus infections: Take 10 mg/kg by mouth once a day for 3 days.
- Pneumonia: Take 10 mg/kg by mouth on day 1 and then take 5 mg/kg by mouth once a day on days 2 through 5.
- Strep throat and tonsillitis: Take 12 mg/kg by mouth once a day for 5 days.
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Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Azithromycin For Chlamydia
Yes, you may drink a small amount of alcohol while you are taking azithromycin but there is a chance large amounts of alcohol may increase the gastrointestinal side effects of azithromycin, such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, or flatulence. Too much alcohol with azithromycin may also give you a headache.
Because azithromycin is usually taken as a one-off dose, drinking alcohol is unlikely to stop azithromycin from curing chlamydia.
Can I Mix My Chlamydia Medicine In A Smoothie Instead Of Just Water I Have A Hard Time Handling The Taste Of Medicine A
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How Antibiotics For Chlamydia Are Administered
Antibiotics for uncomplicated genital chlamydia infections are taken orally.
- Where Azithromycin is used, it is given as a three day course. This will usually be two 500mg tablets on the first day, followed by one 500mg tablet on the second and third days.
- If Doxycycline is used, NICE recommends 100mg taken twice a day for one week. So one dose might be one 100mg tablet, or two 50mg tablets.
- Ofloxacin might be given as a once daily 400mg dose for one week, or a 200mg dose twice daily for one week.
- Erythromycin for chlamydia might also be prescribed in one of two ways: as a 500mg dose taken four times daily for one week or as a 500mg dose taken twice a day for up to two weeks.
- Amoxicillin is given as a 500mg dose , taken three times daily for one week.
However, in any case, you should always follow the specific instructions issued to you by your doctor.
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Infant Pneumonia Caused By C Trachomatis
Chlamydial pneumonia among infants typically occurs at age 13 months and is a subacute pneumonia. Characteristic signs of chlamydial pneumonia among infants include a repetitive staccato cough with tachypnea and hyperinflation and bilateral diffuse infiltrates on a chest radiograph. In addition, peripheral eosinophilia occurs frequently. Because clinical presentations differ, all infants aged 13 months suspected of having pneumonia, especially those whose mothers have a history of, are at risk for , or suspected of having a chlamydial infection should be tested for C. trachomatis and treated if infected.
Diagnostic Considerations
Specimens for chlamydial testing should be collected from the nasopharynx. Tissue culture is the definitive standard diagnostic test for chlamydial pneumonia. Nonculture tests can be used. DFA is the only nonculture FDA-cleared test for detecting C. trachomatis from nasopharyngeal specimens however, DFA of nasopharyngeal specimens has a lower sensitivity and specificity than culture. NAATs are not cleared by FDA for detecting chlamydia from nasopharyngeal specimens, and clinical laboratories should verify the procedure according to CLIA regulations . Tracheal aspirates and lung biopsy specimens, if collected, should be tested for C. trachomatis.
Treatment
Erythromycin base or ethylsuccinate 50 mg/kg body weight/day orally divided into 4 doses daily for 14 days
Azithromycin suspension20 mg/kg body weight/day orally, 1 dose daily for 3 days
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Azithromycin No Longer First Choice Treatment For Chlamydia
Posted on by Dr Tony Steele – Dr Fox pharmacy is CQC& GPhC regulated.
Guidelines about chlamydia treatment have recently been .
A 7-day course of doxycycline is now the recommended antibiotic for chlamydia infections.
- Have you recently tested positive for chlamydia?
- Do you need help and advice regarding treatment?
If so, read on we can help!
Treatment Outcomes Following Extended Azithromycin 15g Compared To 1g
In the primary analysis of 106 men with tests of cure at 14100 days, 62 were microbiologically cured. For MSM, the proportion cured was 14/41 , lower than in heterosexual men for whom the proportion cured was 48/65 . Recurrent or persistent urethral symptoms at the time of test of cure were more common in patients who did not achieve microbiological cure compared to those who did .
Proportion of Men With Urethral Mycoplasma genitalium Cured After Extended Azithromycin 1.5g Overall and Stratified by Pre-Treatment Resistance Genotype and Other Risk Groups
| Patient Group . |
|---|
To determine if proportions cured differed between extended azithromycin 1.5g and single-dose azithromycin 1g, we compared the current dataset with a dataset of males with M. genitalium urethritis who received 1g , 97% of whom returned for assessment before our treatment protocol changed . There was no significant difference in proportions cured by azithromycin 1.5g compared to azithromycin 1g . Pretreatment macrolide resistance was detected in 52% of males with M. genitalium urethritis in 20132015 and in 44% of males with M. genitalium urethritis in 20122013 . While the prevalence of pretreatment resistance was the same in heterosexual males in the 2 time periods , it was higher in MSM in 20132015 compared to MSM in 20122013 . Proportions cured were the same for both regimens in those with pretreatment resistance and in those without .
| Patient Group . |
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Can Chlamydia Go Away On Its Own
It is highly unlikely for chlamydia to go away on its own. Although the symptoms may subside temporarily, the infection may persist in the body in the absence of treatment . It is important to seek diagnosis and timely treatment to get rid of the infection.
If treatment is not sought, chlamydia can lead to the following serious complications:
- Pelvic inflammatory diseases or PID
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Does Azithromycin Cure Chlamydia
Cure rates of 97% were reported in an analysis of 12 randomized clinical trials that investigated the use of azithromycin 1 gram for the treatment of chlamydia. That means for every 100 people with chlamydia who take azithromycin, 97 will be cured and 3 will not be cured.
This relies on the person with chlamydia taking azithromycin exactly as directed and not sharing the medication with anyone. Any sexual partners must be also treated.
Although azithromycin cures chlamydia in most people, it will not repair any permanent damage done to tissues by the disease.
If you have been symptomatic with chlamydia before treatment and your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, then ask to be re-evaluated by your health care provider.
Unfortunately, repeat infection with chlamydia is common. This means that even though azithromycin has cured your current infection with chlamydia, this does not mean you will not get chlamydia again. If your sexual partners have not been appropriately treated, you are at high-risk for reinfection. Having chlamydia multiple times puts women at high risk of fertility problems, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Infants born to mothers who are infected with chlamydia may develop chlamydial conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.
What Happens If I Get Chlamydia When Im Pregnant
- Chlamydia during pregnancy has been associated in very rare cases with problems such as premature birth, and infection of the uterus lining after the birth.
- It can be passed to the baby during the birth and before the baby is born. This can cause inflammation and discharge in the babys eye and/or pneumonia.
- You may be offered a chlamydia test as part of your antenatal care.
- Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics when youre pregnant and when youre breastfeeding. The antibiotics wont harm the baby, but do tell the doctor or nurse that youre pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Youll be advised to have another test after you complete your treatment.
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Screening For Genitourinary Chlamydia
Currently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening in all sexually active women 24 years and younger, and in women 25 years and older who are at increased risk because of having multiple partners or a new sex partner.24 Because of the high risk of intrauterine and postnatal complications if left untreated, all pregnant women at increased risk should be routinely screened for chlamydia during the first prenatal visit.1 Additionally, any pregnant woman undergoing termination of pregnancy should be tested for chlamydia infection.25
There is insufficient evidence to recommend screening in men, although a small number of studies suggest that screening high-risk groups may be useful and cost-effective.24,2629 Per the CDC, the screening of sexually active young men should be considered in clinical settings with a high prevalence of chlamydia , and in certain groups . In men who have sex with men, some experts recommend screening for rectal infections .1,11 The CDC includes chlamydia screening with a urine test among the list of annual tests for all men who have had insertive intercourse within the previous 12 months.1 Testing for C. trachomatis pharyngeal infection is not recommended in men who have had receptive oral intercourse.
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Long Term Complications Of Chlamydia In Females
In women, a chlamydia test may be positive from a swab or urine test even though you have no symptoms. In 70% of women who test positive, chlamydia symptoms are absent. If left untreated, the infection may persist and then affect the pelvic organs the uterus , the Fallopian Tubes and ovaries.
- Over time, if untreated, the pelvic tissues become scarred, and the tubes may become blocked. This is called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease .
- PID is associated with chronic pelvic pain and painful sex. It is also a major cause of infertility and ectopic pregnancy.
- An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy which implants outside of the uterus. Most often the pregnancy develops within the Fallopian Tube. This is dangerous because the developing pregnancy causes the tube to stretch as it grows, meaning the tube is at risk of rupture. If this does occur, this is a life threatening emergency.
- Chlamydia can affect the liver in women causing perihepatitis.
- If you get chlamydia while you are pregnant there is an increased risk of miscarriage, premature delivery and a low birth weight baby. Your baby is also at risk of developing a sticky eye, and/or pneumonia.
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