Patient Management/Treatment

Studies of chlamydia treatment indicate that there is no clinically significant emergence of drug resistance among C. trachomatis strains. The following are 2006 CDC recommended treatment regimens for chlamydial infections:

Studies show comparable efficiacy with the azithromycin and doxycycline regimens. Azithromycin is more expensive than doxycycline but has the advantage of enabling the provision of single dose directly observed therapy when patient adherence is in question.

Patients should be instructed to abstain from sexual intercourse for seven days after a single dose of azithromycin or until completion of a seven-day regimen of doxycycline and until all their sex partners are treated. All women, especially adolescents, should be encouraged to return for repeat testing 3-4 months after a chlamydial infection.

Since erythromycin is less efficacious than either azithromycin or doxycycline, and gastrointestinal side effects frequently discourage patients from complying with this regimen, a test of cure may be considered 3 weeks after completion of this therapy.

Page 13 of 21