title: Response of HIV-infected patients with syphilis to therapy with penicillin or intravenous ceftriaxone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ceftriaxone is commonly used as an alternative antibiotic drug in treating syphilis but clinical data on its efficacy are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the response of HIV-infected patients with active syphilis to treatment with penicillin or ceftriaxone. -
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study involving 24 consecutive patients with a positive Veneral Disease Research Laboratory test (VDRL) and at least one specific treponemal test. 12 patients were treated with different regimens of high-dose penicillin G for at least 2 weeks. Another 12 patients were treated with ceftriaxone 1-2g per day intravenously for 10-21 days. -
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a median follow up of 18,3 months all patients of the penicillin-treated group and 11 of 12 ceftriaxone-treated patients showed a ≥ 4-fold decline in VDRL-titers; 91% of them already within 6 months after therapy. -
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our serological data demonstrate a comparable efficacy of currently recommened penicillin and ceftriaxone treatment regimens for active syphilis in HIV-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University of Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. Petra.Spornraft-Ragaller@uniklinikum-dresden.de
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spornraft-Ragaller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lueck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meurer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009494:Neurosyphilis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D002443:Ceftriaxone