Work

Long-term in vitro exposure of Treponema pallidum to sub-bactericidal doxycycline did not induce resistance: Implications for doxy-PEP and syphilis

Year: 2024

Type: preprint

Abstract: ABSTRACT Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) could significantly reduce syphilis incidence. However, the increase in intermittent doxycycline usage might select resistant Treponema pallidum ( T. pallidum ) strains. To assess whether resistance to doxycycline could be induced in this pathogen, we exposed the SS14 strain in vitro both intermittently and continuously to a sub-bactericidal doxycycline concentration that still exerts antibiotic pressure. During and after each exposure experiment, we assessed the doxycycline minimal inhibitory concentration in test and control treponemes and performed whole genome sequencing, concluding that no resistance developed. This work suggests that doxycycline-resistant T. pallidum is not an immediate threat for doxy-PEP implementation.

Source: bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.27.600921

Authors: Lauren C. Tantalo, Ann Luetkemeyer, Nicole A. P. Lieberman, B. Ethan Nunley, Carlos Avendaño, Alexander L. Greninger, Connie Celum, Lorenzo Giacani

Institutions: University of Washington, University of California, San Francisco, Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Language: English

Topic: Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W4400136730

Cites: 13

Cited by: 2

Related to: 10