Treatment of early syphilis with azithromycin

An open, noncomparative study was performed to establish the efficacy of az ithromycin in the treatment of early syphilis. Sixteen patients were treate d with oral azithromycin: Ig the first day and then 500 mg for the followin g 8 days. Two patients were excluded from the study, leaving 14 patients fo r the evaluation of the efficacy. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDR L) negativity was observed in 3 out of 6 patients treated for primary syphi lis after 3 months and in all patients after 6 months. Two of 8 patients tr eated for manifest or early latent secondary syphilis had VDRL negativity a fter 3 months and 4 patients after 6 months,This study demonstrates that az ithromycin is effective in the treatment of early syphilis. Two patients ex perienced gastrointestinal side effects which did not require treatment int erruption.