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Doxycycline as a Preventive Strategy Against Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Doxycycline as a Preventive Strategy Against Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections

Jacqueline Thomas
Journal for nurse practitioners, Vol.22(5), 105762
05/2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2026.105762
Web of Science ID: WOS:001732204200001

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Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be a significant and ongoing public health challenge in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2024 STI surveillance data documented more than 2.2 million combined cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, with a 13% increase in the past 10 years.1 Congenital syphilis has increased by 700%, with almost 4,000 cases reported in 2024. Although some areas show lower rates of STIs, the epidemic affects nearly all US communities. Adolescents and young adults aged 15-24, men who have sex with men (MSM), and certain racial and ethnic groups are disproportionately impacted. There are no vaccines for chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis. Therefore, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are vital to ensure that populations at risk for STIs are screened regularly at 3- to 6-month intervals in primary and ambulatory care settings. A novel approach to reducing the risk of bacterial STIs involves taking doxycycline as a postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).2 Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic commonly used as a preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or PEP to prevent malaria and Lyme disease.2,3 As a form of chemoprophylaxis, doxycycline PEP (doxy PEP) plays a crucial role in combating an ongoing STI epidemic.

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