A examine of feminine intercourse employees in Japan discovered that doxycycline pre-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPrEP) is tied to considerably lowered total incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with out growing different vaginal infections, researchers reported at present in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance.
The examine, carried out by researchers with the Japan Institute for Well being Safety, concerned 40 cisgender feminine intercourse employees who initiated a day by day prophylactic 100-milligram dose of doxycycline for STI prevention from October 1, 2022, to November 14, 2023. Information on incidence of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis (BV), and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) had been collected earlier than and after doxyPrEp initiation. The examine authors observe that the individuals had been additionally given the selection of doxyPEP, a technique that entails taking a better dose of the antibiotic after unprotected intercourse, however they selected doxyPreP due to its comfort, a probably decrease incidence of uncomfortable side effects, and improved adherence.
The general STI incidence charge after doxyPrEP initiation fell from 232.3 to 79.2 per 100 person-years (incidence charge ratio [IRR]0.33 years; 95% confidence interval [CI]0.13 to 0.84). The discount was pushed primarily by a drop in syphilis infections to zero, whereas the discount in chlamydia incidence confirmed marginal statistical significance and gonorrhea confirmed no statistically important discount. Equally, no important adjustments had been noticed in BV or VVC incidence.
Observe-up scientific evaluations on 22 individuals discovered that adherence to doxyPrEP was excessive, with most individuals reporting no missed doses, and that satisfaction with the technique was likewise excessive. No severe adversarial occasions had been reported.
Additional research are wanted
The findings are noteworthy, as a result of a earlier randomized managed trial in Kenya discovered that doxyPEP was not efficient in stopping bacterial STIs in cisgender ladies. Consultants have steered that these outcomes is likely to be attributed to low adherence. On this examine, adherence was excessive.
The examine authors say, nonetheless, that the outcomes of their small, single-center examine needs to be interpreted with warning.
“Additional large-scale, managed research are wanted to validate these findings, assess long-term effectiveness, and consider the potential influence on antibiotic resistance and broader public well being implications,” they wrote.
