Chlamydia in Emergency Medicine Medication

  • Author: Debra E Houry, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 27, 2012
 

Medication Summary

The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity and prevent complications.

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Antibiotics

Class Summary

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends azithromycin and doxycycline as first-line drugs for the treatment of chlamydial infection.[4] Medical treatment with these agents is 95% effective. Second-line drugs (eg, erythromycin, sulfa) are less effective and have more adverse effects. See guidelines for further information.

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Azithromycin (Zithromax)

 

Treats mild to moderately severe microbial infections; DOC because of single-dose treatment, effectiveness, and lower cost.

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Doxycycline (Bio-Tab, Doryx, Vibramycin)

 

Inhibits protein synthesis and thus bacterial growth by binding to 30S and possibly 50S ribosomal subunits of susceptible bacteria; secondary DOC because of higher cost and decreased compliance.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Debra E Houry, MD, MPH  Director, Center for Injury Control, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University

Debra E Houry, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Public Health Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Richard Lavely, MD, JD, MS, MPH  Lecturer in Health Policy and Administration, Department of Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine

Richard Lavely, MD, JD, MS, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Legal Medicine, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Jonathan A Handler, MD  HSG Chief Deployment Architect, Microsoft Corporation, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medine

Jonathan A Handler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References

  1. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for chlamydial infection: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. Jul 17 2007;147(2):128-34. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  2. Screening for chlamydial infection: recommendation statement. National Guideline Clearinghouse. Available at http://guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=10408. Accessed March 23, 2009.

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chlamydia screening among sexually active young female enrollees of health plans--United States, 2000-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. Apr 17 2009;58(14):362-5. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  4. (1) Diseases characterized by urethritis and cervicitis. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 2006. (2) Update to CDC's sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006: fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for treatment of gonococcal infections. National Guideline Clearinghouse. Available at http://guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=10769. Accessed March 23, 2009.

  5. Anttila T, Saikku P, Koskela P, et al. Serotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis and risk for development of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. JAMA. Jan 3 2001;285(1):47-51. [Medline].

  6. CDC. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR Recomm Rep. Dec 17 2010;59(RR12):1-110.

  7. Darville T. Chlamydia trachomatis infections in neonates and young children. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis. Oct 2005;16(4):235-44. [Medline].

  8. Datta SD, Sternberg M, Johnson RE, Berman S, Papp JR, McQuillan G. Gonorrhea and chlamydia in the United States among persons 14 to 39 years of age, 1999 to 2002. Ann Intern Med. Jul 17 2007;147(2):89-96. [Medline].

  9. Jensen JS, Bjornelius E, Dohn B, Lidbrink P. Comparison of first void urine and urogenital swab specimens for detection of Mycoplasma genitalium and Chlamydia trachomatis by polymerase chain reaction in patients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Sex Transm Dis. Aug 2004;31(8):499-507. [Medline].

  10. Kelly JJ, Dalsey WC, McComb J, Njuki F. Follow-up program for emergency department patients with gonorrhea or chlamydia. Acad Emerg Med. Dec 2000;7(12):1437-9. [Medline].

  11. Magid D, Douglas JM Jr, Schwartz JS. Doxycycline compared with azithromycin for treating women with genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections: an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis. Ann Intern Med. Feb 15 1996;124(4):389-99. [Medline].

  12. Miller WC, Ford CA, Morris M, et al. Prevalence of chlamydial and gonococcal infections among young adults in the United States. JAMA. May 12 2004;291(18):2229-36. [Medline].

  13. Stewart DP. Historical, physical, and laboratory characteristics of female ED patients with positive chlamydia and gonorrhea cultures. Am J Emerg Med. May 1996;14(3):336-7. [Medline].

 
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CT scan of an adolescent with chlamydial Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome demonstrating a perihepatic fluid collection anterior to the liver.
CT scan of an adolescent with chlamydial Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome demonstrating free peritoneal fluid.
 
 
 
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