Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK, accounting for 48.5% of all new STI diagnoses in 2023. It is usually easily treated with doxycycline.
How is chlamydia treated?
Chlamydia is usually treated with antibiotics.
The antibiotics used to treat chlamydia are:
- Doxycycline: You’ll usually be prescribed 100 mg twice a day for 7 days.
- Azithromycin: Normally prescribed when doxycycline isn’t appropriate. You’ll likely be given 1 g for 1 day followed by 500 mg once a day for 2 days.
- Erythromycin: 500 mg twice a day for up to 14 days if doxycycline and azithromycin are unsuitable.
At Prescription Doctor, we only offer doxycycline to treat chlamydia.
What’s the best treatment for chlamydia?
Doxycycline is the preferred treatment for chlamydia and is usually the first-line treatment prescribed by clinicians. Most people will be prescribed 100 mg tablets taken twice a day for 7 days.
At Prescription Doctor, we only offer doxycycline for chlamydia treatment.
How does doxycycline work?
Doxycycline belongs to a class of medications called tetracycline antibiotics. It works by stopping bacteria from making the proteins they need to survive and cause infection. Thus, doxycycline stops chlamydia-causing bacteria from being able to multiply, killing off the infection.
How effective is doxycycline for chlamydia?
As per research conducted on the closed population, doxycycline is 100% effective at clearing chlamydia, when used correctly, compared to a 97% effectiveness rate for azithromycin.
Who needs to be treated with antibiotics?
Not everyone with chlamydia will experience symptoms. That’s why it is important to get a chlamydia test if you think you may have been exposed to chlamydia. Anyone who is sexually active should get an annual STI test, even if they are in a long-term relationship, so they can get fast, effective treatment.
If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, you will need antibiotic therapy to get rid of the infection. It is important that you also inform any current or recent sexual partners that they need to get a chlamydia test. You can pass chlamydia on during vaginal, anal, and oral sex even if you do not have any symptoms.
Once you have completed a course of chlamydia antibiotics, it is recommended that you retake a chlamydia test after 3 months if you are at risk of re-infection. This will confirm if you are clear of the infection. Prescription Doctor offers a range of STI tests that you can do at home.
References
NEJM, (2015). Azithromycin versus Doxycycline for Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis Infection.
NICE, (2024). Scenario: Management of uncomplicated genital chlamydia.
UK Health Security Agency, (2024). Sexually transmitted infections and screening for chlamydia in England: 2023 report.
