As syphilis cases surge in the United States, a group representing American sexually transmitted infections specialists says members are reporting shortages of drugs vital to fighting the disease.
In a survey conducted in early November by the National Union of Directors of STDs, 46 per cent of sexual health clinics said they had tried to order Bicillin L-A – only to find that the drug was not available.
Benthathine penicillin L-A, a type of penicillin, is essential for syphilis**, especially for congenital syphilis, which occurs when a newborn acquires the disease from an infected mother.
In early November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounded the alarm about the disease, noting that the incidence of congenital syphilis soared tenfold between 2012 and 2022.
According to the CDC, more than 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in the United States in 2022.
According to the March of Dimes, "if left untimely, congenital syphilis can lead to a number of problems later in life," including deformities of bones and teeth, paralysis or convulsions, visual and auditory problems, and developmental delays.
Fortunately, penicillin L-A can quickly kill Treponema pallidum. This is the only method approved for syphilis in pregnant women and the preferred method for syphilis patients.
Bicillin L-A is manufactured by Pfizer, which notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June of a shortage of the product, which could continue through mid-2024.
The new survey confirms that Bicillin L-A is in a state of ** shortage throughout the country.
The organization sent a questionnaire to 136 state and local health departments and 151 sexual health clinics across the country in early November.
Among the findings are:
There is a second-line ** drug, doxycycline, which can be used by patients if bicillin L-A is not available. But it takes a month, and serious can happen
In the new survey, 36% of clinics said they had encountered patients who were unable to complete a full course of doxycycline.
The CDC has recommended that doctors only use Bicillin L-A** for congenital syphilis and give doxycycline to all other patients for protection.
More information. Get more information about congenital syphilis from the World Health Organization.
*: National Alliance of STD Control Directors, press release, November 30, 2023.
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