7 Apr 2023 • A study was conducted to see if giving MSM and transgender women who were taking PrEP or living with HIV an antibiotic, doxycycline, after condomless sex could reduce their risk of getting STIs like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis. Participants were randomly assigned to take doxycycline or receive standard care. STI testing was done quarterly, and the primary goal was to see the incidence of at least one STI per follow-up quarter. Of the 501 participants, those who took doxycycline had a significantly lower incidence of STIs than those who received standard care. The incidence of the three evaluated STIs was lower with doxycycline than with standard care. Only five grade 3 adverse events were attributed to doxycycline, and no serious adverse events were reported. The study concluded that doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis can be effective in reducing the incidence of STIs among MSM with recent bacterial STIs.

Source: NEJM | Read full article