The short answer from Jeffery Klausner (UCLA, CA) is; Yes.

Jeffery spoke about the two studies and looked at those results.

Antibiotic prevention is nothing new; Rheumatic fever, travellers (Malaria), Lyme Disease, or Travellers Diarrhoea. 

With increasing Syphilis rates in MSM and the risk of facilitating HIV transmission, Doxycycline Prophylaxis could defiantly have a place.

As we already know, Doxycycline is a narrow spectrum antibiotic that is inexpensive.

Two RCT's were conducted; one study looked at daily 100mg Doxycycline for 30 men over 48 weeks (not behavioural intervention), on average most had 1mg/ml in samples with only a few having undetectable levels (?non adherence) which overall showed good levels.

• 73% reduction in Syphillis
• 70% reduction in other STI's (Chlamydia)

Study 2: On demand Doxycycline as PEP. RCT in HIV negative men on 200mg single dose up 24 hours after sex, maximum 72 hours post sex. NB: No more than six pills per week.

• 70-73% reduction in Syphilis and Chlamydia infections.
• No effect on Gonorrhoea. 
• Noted increase in GI side effects, (nausea, GI pain and vomiting), nil adverse events.

Both studies showed great results, but more research needs to be done (Australia is part of a trial at the moment), and concerns around long term safety as well as ?Resistance (MRSA) were raised.

Overall a great presentation looking at the future of condomless prevention of STI's in a time where we have over 6000 MSM using condomless HIV prevention in NSW (EPIC, NSW)

This morning saw the kick off of the STI and HIV World Congress in Rio de Janeiro Brazil.

First off this morning was the 2016 WHO Treatment guidelines - last updated in 2003.

Noting that the new guidelines will be released in 3 stages.

(A.Prof, Director) Magnus Unemo of Swedish Reference Laboratory

Neisseria Gonorrhoea:

Treatment recommendations for Dual therapy over single therapy.

Ano-rectal and UI-

- Ceftriaxone 250mg and 1G Azithromycin 

- Cefixime 400mg PO and 1G Azithromycin.

Oral N.Gonorrhoea-

- Ceftriaxone 250mg and 1G Azithromycin.

- Cefixime 400mg PO and 1G Azithromycin.

It's of importance that currently in Australian Guidelines 500mg of Ceftriaxone is recommended and the WHO recommend 500mg in it's 2nd line treatment when 1st line therapy has suspected treatment failure.

Representitives from the UK and Europe also stated that are currently using 500mg as first line therapy due to high prevalence of resistance.

Dr Nicola Low (University of Bern)

Chlamydia trachomatis 

Take home message- changes in guidelines

- Use of Doxycycline over Azithromycin for Ano-rectal infection.

- 100mg Doxycycline BD for 7 days.

LGV - Treat with Doxycycline 100mg BD for 21 days - was 14 days in previous guidelines. 

Dr Francis Ndowa (Zimbabwe, WHO consultant)

Syphilis

Primary, Secondary and Early latent (2 years or less)

Treatment is with (2.4 million units) 1.8g Benzethine Penicillin IMI Single dose.

Alternate Treatment - Procaine 1.2 IU IMI Daily for 10- 14 days.

Late Syphilis (more than 2 years)

Treatment is 2.4 Million units Benzethine Penicillin IMI one dose one week apart for 3 consecutive weeks.

In penicillin Allergy - 100MG Doxycycline BD for 30 days.

Dr David Lewis (Sydney, Australia)

HSV

19.2 Million new HSV infections in 15 - 49 year olds world wide in 2012.

Recommendation 1 - 1st Episode of HSV infection - treat.

Recommendation 2 - Treatment recommendation Use Aciclovir over Valciclovir or famciclovir.

Dosage 400mg TDS for 10 days.

Recommendation 3 and 4 - Recurrent symptoms treat within 24 hours of symptoms or prodromal phase with Aciclovir 400mg PO TDS for 5 days, 800mg BD for 5 days or 800mg TDS for 2 days

Valciclovir 500mg PO BD for 3 days.

Recommendation 5 - For recurrences of more than 4 per year consider suppressive therapy for 1 year and then reassess. Aciclovir 400mg BD for 1 year.

Dr Manica Balasegaram (Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, GARDP)

Spoke about the development of new treatments for STIs and in particular showed a snap shot of a road map for development of new treatments for N.Gonorrhoea with the main goal of new treatment by 2023.

Main goals of accelerating new agents to be used and investigating existing antibiotics that could be used in new combinations. It's exciting to see that we are looking to the future in regards to Antibiotic stewand ship and treatment of emerging resistance.

Monday 14/11/16 – Day 1: Jan Edwards Trainee Session

Dr Danae Kent, Senior Registrar at Adelaide’s Clinic 275: ‘Testing for Rectal Chlamydia in Women – Is It Worth It?’

In short the answer was yes…and no! 

Rectal chlamydia infections in women have the potential to result in significant morbidity and enhanced HIV transmission. 

Few other Australian studies have looked at this topic.  The estimated rectal CT positivity rate in women is 5-27% (variable depending on population eg. higher in sex workers and sexually adventurous females).  Awareness of site of CT infection is important as this has implications for choice of treatment (rectal CT treated with Doxycycline vs genital CT treated with Azithromycin).

Method:

This South Australian retrospective study looked at women who received anal CT testing if they reported anal sex and/or anal symptoms.

Results:

Overall CT positivity rate = 8.5%

Young women less likely to have anal CT testing done but more likely to have positive anal CT result (of those with a CT positive result, 16% of women <20yrs were positive for anal CT)

Isolated rectal infections:

70% were found to have urogenital AND anal CT

19% were found to have rectal CT only

11% were found to have urogenital CT only

Therefore urogenital testing alone would miss 1 in every 5 cases of chlamydia confirming the value of testing for anal CT where a women reports anal sex and/or anal symptoms.  These findings are not generalizable to settings outside the sexual health clinic. 

Interesting food for thought and also a timely reminder of the importance of a thorough sexual history for the female client including enquiry about anal sex practices.