Penicillins sexually transmitted diseases

At the beginning of the twentieth century, arsenic compounds were used to kill spirochete bacteria, which cause the sexually transmitted disease syphilis. After this amphetamine compound was used to treat syphilis in Europe, the disease rate was reduced by more than half. The antibiotic penicillin has replaced arsenic for most medical purposes... 

Sexually transmitted diseases When treating gonococcal infections in which primary and secondary syphilis are suspected, perform proper diagnostic procedures, including darkfield examinations and monthly serological tests for at least 4 months. Resistance The number of strains of staphylococci resistant to penicillinase-resistant penicillins has been increasing widespread use of penicillinase-resistant penicillins may result in an increasing number of resistant staphylococcal strains. 

Penicillins are also used in the prophylaxis of rheumatic fever, sexually transmitted diseases e.g. gonorrhoea and syphilis and bacterial endocarditis. 

Interference with active transport. Organic acids are passed from the blood into the urine by active transport across the renal tubular epithelium. Penicillin is mostly excreted in this way. Probenecid, an organic acid that competes successfully with penicillin for this transport system, may be used to prolong the action of penicillin when repeated administration is impracticable, e.g. in sexually transmitted diseases, where compliance is notoriously poor. Interference with renal excretion of methotrexate by aspirin, of zidovudine by probenecid and of digoxin by quinidine, contribute to the potentially harmful interactions with these combinations. 

Erythromycin-A (EM) obtained from S. erythreus has utility in a wide variety of Gm+ infections, including sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The drug can be considered for penicillin-allergic patients. In an outbreak of Legionnaire s disease, EM was found to be the only antibiotic to reverse the morbidity of this new disease. 

Repeated exposure to a substance can stimulate or alert the immune system and result in an allergic reaction. This can occur, for example, with the exposure of some individuals to penidUin, with serious results (see pp. 66-8). Many years ago an enterprising American had the seemingly clever idea of putting penicillin in hpstick, so that the constant protection it afforded would combat sexually transmitted venereal diseases, which some women might contract. Unfortunately, the constant exposure resulted in severe allergic reactions in some women. 

---