Clinical trial: No difference in effectiveness between antibiotic pills and shots for early-stage syphilis

A recently completed clinical trial has demonstrated that patients infected with early syphilis had the same outcome regardless of whether they were treated with azithromycin pills or penicillin injections.

The study was led by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and was conducted between June 2000 and March 2007. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either two injections of benzathine penicillin G or four tablets of the broad-spectrum antimicrobial macrolide drug azithromycin.

The results suggested that 77.6 percent of those who received the pills were cured of the sexually transmitted disease, while 78.5 percent of penicillin recipients had the same outcome.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, supported the research, which scientists say is beneficial because it shows that an easier treatment - via tablets - is equally effective. Penicillin injections, by contrast, can cause allergic reactions and have to be administered by trained professionals.

Public health authorities across the country are warning that syphilis rates are on the rise again. Individuals who are concerned about their health may want to purchase online testing kits which yield quick and confidential results.