CDC Advises Post-Sex Antibiotics

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published clinical guidelines on counseling patients regarding doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP) for bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention.

Doxycycline, a broad-spectrum tetracycline antimicrobial, is well absorbed and tolerated, with a half-life of approximately 12 hours.

As of June 4, 2024, the CDC says Doxy PEP has proven to reduce the risk of getting bacterial STIs, specifically syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

The CDC recommends healthcare providers discuss doxy PEP with all gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and transgender women with a history of at least one bacterial STI in the last 12 months. If offering doxy PEP, healthcare providers should prescribe self-administration of 200 mg of doxycycline within 72 hours of sex.

Laura Bachmann, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FACP, Acting Director, Division of STD Prevention, stated in a media release, 'Doxy PEP represents the first new STI prevention tool in decades, at a time when innovation in the nation's fight nation's STIs is desperately needed."

As of June 5, 2024, bacterial STI vaccine candidates are conducting clinical research.

Recently, the Bexsero® meningitis B vaccine (4CMenB) has shown some protection against gonorrhea. Studies have found that people who receive two doses of Bexsero maybe 33–40% less likely to be diagnosed with gonorrhea than those who don't.

In the U.K., meningococcal vaccination is now advised for certain people to prevent STIs.