What Antibiotics Do You Get For Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. It can be treated easily if caught early. Some of the most recommended antibiotics used to treat chlamydia are azithromycin and doxycycline. Azithromycin is typically given as 2 tablets one time while doxycycline is given as 2 capsules a day for 7 days. These antibiotics are most effective if both partners have received treatment and have taken their prescription as directed.
What Do I Need To Know If I Get Treated For Chlamydia
If youre getting treated for chlamydia:
- Take all of your medicine the way your nurse or doctor tells you to, even if any symptoms you may be having go away sooner. The infection stays in your body until you finish the antibiotics.
- Your partner should also get treated for chlamydia so you dont re-infect each other or anyone else.
- Dont have sex for 7 days. If you only have 1 dose of medication, wait for 7 days after you take it before having sex. If youre taking medicine for 7 days, dont have sex until youve finished all of your pills.
- Get tested again in 3-4 months to make sure your infection is gone.
- Dont share your medicine with anyone. Your nurse or doctor may give you a separate dose of antibiotics for your partner. Make sure you both take all of the medicine you get.
- Even if you finish your treatment and the chlamydia is totally gone, its possible to get a new chlamydia infection again if youre exposed in the future. Chlamydia isnt a one-time-only deal. So use condoms and get tested regularly.
Donât Miss: What Is The Test For Gonorrhea And Chlamydia
How Is Chlamydia Treated During Pregnancy
Because Doxycycline and Ofloxacin are not suitable for use in pregnancy, expectant mothers requiring chlamydia treatment will be given an alternative.
NICE recommends that prescribers consider one of the following in such cases:
- a three day course of Azithromycin
- or a seven day course of Erythromycin
- or a 14-day course of Erythromycin
- or a seven day course of Amoxicillin
Of course every case is different, and dependent on a patients medical profile.
Don’t Miss: What Are The Side Effects Of Chlamydia Medication
What Are Some Side Effects That I Need To Call My Doctor About Right Away
WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
- Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash hives itching red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever wheezing tightness in the chest or throat trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking unusual hoarseness or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Chest pain or pressure or a fast heartbeat.
- A heartbeat that does not feel normal.
- Dizziness or passing out.
How Do I Store And/or Throw Out Azithromycin Single
- Store at room temperature.
- Store in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom.
- Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
- Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.
Recommended Reading: What Do They Give You For Chlamydia
Is Azithromycin Better Than Doxycycline At Curing Chlamydia
STD guidelines still favor azithromycin over doxycycline for the treatment of chlamydia. This is because of the following reasons:
- Cure rates of azithromycin and doxycycline are similar, 97% and 98-100% respectively, according to a meta-analysis of 12 trials.
- Azithromycin is given as a single dose, doxycycline needs to be given for seven days, either as a once-daily or twice-daily dose.
- The dose of azithromycin can be easily supervised if need be it is much harder to supervise seven days of once daily or twice daily doxycycline treatment
- People are more likely to take a single dose of azithromycin than finish a seven-day course of doxycycline.
Recently, some reports have suggested that doxycycline may be more effective than azithromycin, particularly when medication adherence can be assured. There is also some concern that azithromycin may not be as effective for anogenital chlamydial infections.
Does Chlamydia Cause Cervical Cancer
No, chlamydia doesnât cause cervical cancer.
Itâs possible to get a sexually transmitted infection by having sex with someone who has an STI, even if they have no symptoms.
The following measures will help protect you from most STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.
If you have an STI, theyâll also help prevent you from passing it on to someone:
- Use condoms every time you have vaginal or anal sex.
- If you have oral sex , use a condom to cover the penis, or a dam to cover the vulva or anus.
- Avoid sharing sex toys. If you do share them, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them.
Recommended Reading: Can The Doctor Tell How Long You Ve Had Chlamydia
Why No Mention Of The Single
The evidence basis for the change to doxycycline for treatment of chlamydia co-infection coverage is substantially weaker. It is also decidedly mute on the risks of partial or non-compliance with treatment. The question then becomes: How profound is the treatment effect and how does it balance against its risks?
The guideline states, as evidence for the doxycycline switch:
A recent investigation comparing children who received twice-yearly azithromycin with children who received placebo found that the guts resistome, a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes in the body, had increased determinants of macrolide and nonmacrolide resistance, including beta-lactam antibiotics, among children receiving azithromycin .3 A higher proportion of macrolide resistance in nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae was demonstrated in communities receiving mass administration of oral azithromycin .4 Azithromycin resistance has been demonstrated in another STI, Mycoplasma genitalium, and sexually transmissible enteric pathogens 5-7. In addition, evidence supports increasing concern for the efficacy of azithromycin to treat chlamydial infections, especially rectal infections 8,9.
That really leaves the meta-analysis8 to answer our question: how best do we protect the reproductive health of our patients in the setting of diagnostic uncertainty?
When Can I Have Sex Again
If you had doxycycline, you shouldn’t have sex including vaginal, oral or anal sex, even with a condom until both you and your partner have completed treatment.
If you had azithromycin, you should wait 7 days after treatment before having sex .
This will help ensure you don’t pass on the infection or catch it again straight away.
Read Also: How Guys Get Tested For Chlamydia
Why Change Advice About Chlamydia Treatment
In the past, chlamydia was often treated with a single dose of the antibiotic azithromycin.
Azithromycin was felt to be a good first choice, because taking just the 1mg dose results in very good antibiotic levels in the blood stream for several days, without the need to take further tablets.
Azithromycin taken as a single dose, was also ideal, because it was easier for patients to take all their treatment at once. The alternative treatment option, was a 7-day course of doxcycline, but in fact, many people never finish a 7-day course of antibiotics.
In a clinic setting, the doctor/nurse would often watch you swallow the azithromycin tablets there and then, meaning this ensured the complete regime had been taken.
You May Like: How Long It Takes For Chlamydia To Go Away
Predictors Of Treatment Failure
In univariate analysis, failure of extended azithromycin 1.5g was associated with the following: pre-treatment resistance, reporting male sexual partners, number of sexual partners, and prior use of azithromycin for this NGU episode . Treatment failure was not associated with the following: sex outside Australia, bacterial load, and risk of reinfection. In multivariate analysis, factors that remained significantly associated with treatment failure were pre-treatment resistance and being MSM .
Predictors of Failure of Extended Azithromycin 1.5g to Treat Urethral Mycoplasma genitalium Infection in Patients With Test of Cure 14100 Days After Treatment and Pre-Treatment Genotype
| Patient Group . |
|---|
Recommended Reading: Free Chlamydia Treatment By Post
How Long Does Treatment Take
Treatment time for chlamydia can vary from one to seven days. Azithromycin requires only one dose for one day, while you must take other antibiotics multiple times a day for seven days.
To cure a chlamydia infection, take the antibiotics exactly as prescribed by your doctor and for the full length of the prescription, being sure to take every dose. There should be no medication left at the end of the treatment period. You cannot save medication in case you acquire chlamydia again.
Contact your doctor if you still have symptoms but have taken all your antibiotics. You will need a follow-up test with your doctor three months after treatment to make sure the chlamydia is completely cured.
Drug Treatment Of Common Stds: Part I Herpes Syphilis Urethritis Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
CAROL WOODWARD, PHARM.D., West Virginia University Hospitals, Morgantown, West Virginia
MELANIE A. FISHER, M.D., M.SC., West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
Am Fam Physician. 1999 Oct 1 60:1387-1394.
This is Part I of a two-part article on drug treatment of common sexually transmitted diseases. Part II, Vaginal Infections, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Genital Warts, will appear in the next issue of AFP.
Several advances have been made in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases . These advances have been incorporated into the 1998 Guidelines for the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .1
Highly effective single-dose oral therapies are now available for most common curable STDs. Single-dose regimens may be used for the treatment of chancroid, nongonococcal urethritis, uncomplicated gonococcal infections, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, candidal vaginitis and chlamydial infections.
Improved therapies are now available for the treatment of genital herpes and human papillomavirus infections. New regimens have been approved for the use of acyclovir in the treatment of genital herpes. In addition, two new antiviral agents, valacyclovir and famciclovir , have been labeled for the treatment of genital herpes. Patient-applied therapies are now recommended for management of HPV.
Read Also: Where Can I Get Medicine For Chlamydia
Is Treatment Always Necessary For Chlamydia
Yes, treatment is necessary for chlamydia, particularly in women of childbearing age, because it reduces the risk of chlamydia-associated ectopic pregnancy, fertility problems, and the transmission of chlamydia to neonates during birth. In women, of all ages, chlamydia treatment reduces the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.
In men, treatment for chlamydia stops them from infecting or reinfecting sexual partners with the bacteria.
Treat any person testing positive for chlamydia with a recommended course of antibiotics promptly. Delays in treatment have been associated with complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease.
Doxycycline Resistance And C Trachomatis
Despite the absence of recent MIC data for C. trachomatis, low values of MICs of doxycycline were reported in the literature with MIC90 usually0.125 mg/L.,, Interestingly, doxycycline minimum chlamydiacidal concentrations varied according to the clinical presentation and the bacterial serovar, with lower MCCs in cases of asymptomatic infection than in mucopurulent cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease, and the highest MCCs observed for serovar Ia and J in mucopurulent cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease. In contrast, no MIC or MCC difference was observed between isolates recovered in the case of treatment failure or persistence compared with single-episode isolates. From these data and treatment success rates, pathogen resistance is expected to be low. However, tetracycline- and doxycycline-resistant isolates and isolates resistant to multiple antibiotics have been reported, some of thembut not allbeing involved in relapsing or persistent infection.
Read Also: Medication For Chlamydia Side Effects
Perspectives Of Doxycycline Use In Stis
Recently, oral pre-exposure prophylaxis using a combination of the antiretroviral drugs tenofovir and emtricitabine has been recommended for preventing HIV infection among individuals at high risk, including MSM. In September 2015, the WHO recommended offering PrEP for all persons at substantial risk of HIV infection including MSM. A recent meta-analysis reported that MSM using PrEP were significantly more likely to acquire a N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis or syphilis compared with MSM not using PrEP. Recreational drug use in MSM and the association with sexual risk behaviour have been documented on an international level and in Western Europe, where transmission of HIV and other STIs remains high. This partly explains why MSM are a high-risk STI group. These practices, called ChemSex are defined by the use of certain sexually-disinhibiting recreational drugs before or during sex with the specific purpose of facilitating or enhancing sex.
The questions about doxycycline in prophylaxis of bacterial STIs concern the safety and the risk for acquired resistance. Use of doxycycline in clinical practice to prevent STI, particularly C. trachomatis and syphilis, is still not validated, pending further analysis.
Chlamydial Infection Among Adolescents And Adults
Chlamydial infection is the most frequently reported bacterial infectious disease in the United States, and prevalence is highest among persons aged 24 years . Multiple sequelae can result from C. trachomatis infection among women, the most serious of which include PID, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Certain women who receive a diagnosis of uncomplicated cervical infection already have subclinical upper genital tract infection.
Asymptomatic infection is common among both men and women. To detect chlamydial infection, health care providers frequently rely on screening tests. Annual screening of all sexually active women aged < 25 years is recommended, as is screening of older women at increased risk for infection . In a community-based cohort of female college students, incident chlamydial infection was also associated with BV and high-risk HPV infection . Although chlamydia incidence might be higher among certain women aged 25 years in certain communities, overall, the largest proportion of infection is among women aged < 25 years .
You May Like: Chlamydia Control 4 Me Reviews
Where You Can Get Chlamydia Treatment From
Ideally, you should always get tested and treated for STIs in person.
The recommended place to get tested and treated for chlamydia and other STIs is at a genitourinary medicine clinic. They provide specialist services in this particular area, and can also provide assistance to patients who need to notify their partners. Following testing, those requiring treatment for chlamydia will be advised to return to the clinic, where they will be issued a prescription for the medication they need by a healthcare professional. This can then be dispensed at any chemist.
A GP will strongly advise someone who thinks they may have an STI to go to a GUM clinic. However, in cases where a person is either unable or unwilling to go to a GUM clinic, a GP practice may be able to offer testing and treatment.
People who are unable to attend a consultation in person at their GUM clinic or GP can also access testing and treatment services online. Self-testing kits are available to buy from online pharmacies, and many of these platforms also offer remote consultations with practising doctors. These doctors can then prescribe treatment in cases where someone has a positive test result, or again if the patient is experiencing symptoms which strongly point towards chlamydia.
It is not possible to purchase self-testing kits or chlamydia treatment from our online service.
Recommended Reading: Doxycycline Hyclate 100mg Capsules For Chlamydia
What Is The Treatment For Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.
Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for 7 days after single dose antibiotics or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners. It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure chlamydia. Medication for chlamydia should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. If a persons symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a health care provider to be reevaluated.
Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple chlamydial infections increases a womans risk of serious reproductive health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were successfully treated.
Infants infected with chlamydia may develop ophthalmia neonatorum and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.
Don’t Miss: Can Chlamydia Be Cured On Its Own
Chlamydial Infection Among Neonates
Prenatal screening and treatment of pregnant women is the best method for preventing chlamydial infection among neonates. C. trachomatis infection of neonates results from perinatal exposure to the mothers infected cervix. Initial C. trachomatis neonatal infection involves the mucous membranes of the eye, oropharynx, urogenital tract, and rectum, although infection might be asymptomatic in these locations. Instead, C. trachomatis infection among neonates is most frequently recognized by conjunctivitis that develops 512 days after birth. C. trachomatis also can cause a subacute, afebrile pneumonia with onset at ages 13 months. Although C. trachomatis has been the most frequent identifiable infectious cause of ophthalmia neonatorum, neonatal chlamydial infections, including ophthalmia and pneumonia, have occurred less frequently since institution of widespread prenatal screening and treatment of pregnant women. Neonates born to mothers at high risk for chlamydial infection, with untreated chlamydia, or with no or unconfirmed prenatal care, are at high risk for infection. However, presumptive treatment of the neonate is not indicated because the efficacy of such treatment is unknown. Infants should be monitored to ensure prompt and age-appropriate treatment if symptoms develop. Processes should be in place to ensure communication between physicians and others caring for the mother and the newborn to ensure thorough monitoring of the newborn after birth.