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. 2025 Oct 16;16(1):9206.
doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-64261-w.

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections and related antibiotic use among individuals eligible for doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis in the United States

Affiliations

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections and related antibiotic use among individuals eligible for doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis in the United States

Anna M Parker et al. Nat Commun. .

Abstract

While doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) can prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), concern surrounds the volume of antibiotic use needed to realize this benefit. We estimated incidence rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis diagnoses and related antibiotic prescribing among US males and transgender individuals using Merative MarketScan® Research Databases during 2017-2019. Follow-up encompassed 38,543 person-years among recipients of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), 29,228 person-years among people living with HIV (PLWH), and 19,918 person-years among people with prior-year STI diagnoses. Incidence rates of STI diagnoses among PLWH and PrEP recipients with ≥1 prior-year STI diagnosis totaled 33.3-35.5 per 100 person-years. Direct effects of doxyPEP could prevent 7.4-9.6 gonorrhea diagnoses, 7.3-8.1 chlamydia diagnoses, and 3.1-5.9 syphilis diagnoses per 100 person-years of use. However, expected increases in tetracycline consumption resulting from doxyPEP implementation totaled 271.9-312.9 additional 7-day doxycycline treatment courses per 100 person-years of use. These increases corresponded to 37.0-38.7, 36.5-37.0, and 46.1-100.2 additional 7-day doxycycline treatment courses for each prevented gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis diagnosis, respectively. Increases in doxycycline use exceeded anticipated reductions in STI-related prescribing of cephalosporins, macrolides, and penicillins by 16-69-fold margins. Anticipated changes in antibiotic use as well as STI incidence should inform priority-setting for doxyPEP.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Incidence of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis preventable by direct effects of doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP).
We illustrate estimates of the incidence of diagnoses of gonorrhea (A), chlamydia (B), and syphilis (C) preventable by direct effects of doxyPEP among recipients within differing eligibility strata. Incidence rate difference (IRD) estimates compare between rates under counterfactual scenarios of doxyPEP receipt or non-receipt. Populations included in analyses encompass males and transgender individuals living with HIV (PLWH), who receive HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), or with a history of diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the preceding year. Follow-up for the estimates plotted encompasses 38,543 person-years at risk among PrEP recipients, 29,228 person-years at risk among PLWH, and 19,918 person-years at risk among people with prior STI diagnosis history, summed across all years of follow-up (2017–2019). Plotted points represent maximum-likelihood estimates and lines delineate 95% confidence intervals.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Number-needed-to-treat for prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) via doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP).
We illustrate estimates of the excess tetracycline fill-days (standardized to resemble a 7-day treatment course for acute STI management) expected to occur for each diagnosis of gonorrhea (A), chlamydia (B), and syphilis (C) prevented by doxyPEP. We estimate the number-needed-to-treat by dividing the incidence rate differences for antibiotic use under counterfactual scenarios of doxyPEP receipt or non-receipt by the incidence rate difference for STI diagnoses under counterfactual scenarios of doxyPEP receipt or non-receipt. Populations encompass males and transgender individuals living with HIV (PLWH), who receive HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), or with a history of STI diagnoses in the preceding year. Follow-up for the estimates plotted encompasses 38,543 person-years at risk among PrEP recipients, 29,228 person-years at risk among PLWH, and 19,918 person-years at risk among people with prior STI diagnosis history, summed across all years of follow-up (2017–2019). Plotted points represent maximum-likelihood estimates and lines delineate 95% confidence intervals.

References

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