Chlamydia Treatment

[billyboat]

Hi Doctor,

I know that the standard treatment for chlamydia is one dose of 1g of azithromycin.  However, how effective would two separate doses of 750mg of azithromycin, each 24 hours apart, be?  That is a total of 1500mg of azithromycin within a 24 hour period.   Thank you!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This is a good question and the answer is that this is almost certainly effective therapy for chlamydial infection, HOWEVER, treatment of chlamydia with azithromycin has not been formally studied using this dosing  schedule.  Soon after azithromycin was released, it was shown that taking a Z-pack, consisting of 500 mg on day one, followed by several days of 250 mg per day was slightly less effective than a single 1.0 gram dose.  You took considerably more,  The odds are very high that this sort of dosing is just as effective as a single 1.0 gram dose.

If you were symptomatic and your symptoms co away, I would not worry further.  Similarly, if your infection was asymptomatic, I would not worry further either.

I hope this helps. EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

there are no data to suggests that an asymptomatic infection is any easier, or more difficult, to treat than a symptomatic infection. EWH

[billyboat]

Thank you so much for your rapid response!  One more quick question, just out of curiosity.  Is a person carrying the bacteria, but not showing symptoms, more easily treated than a person who is showing symptoms?  In other words, will the infection be more resistant to antibiotics in somebody who is showing symptoms, as opposed to someone who is asymptomatic?  Thanks again.