Abstract:

Objective: To assess the efficacy of cefixime in the treatment of the patients with early symptomatic syphilis. Methods: The patients with early symptomatic syphilis were enrolled in our hospital from May 2018 to April 2020. The patients were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group. The patients in the treatment group were treated with oral cefixime,100 mg, twice a day for 15 days. The patients in the control group were treated with intramuscular injection of benzathine benzylpenicillin (BPG), 2.4 million units, once a week for 2 weeks. Then the cure rate and negative conversion rate of TRUST titer were compared. Results: Sixty patients were recruited with 30 cases in each group. The cure rate in the treatment group and control group were 83.3% and 90% respectively, with no significant difference (P>0.05). The treatment group and control group were not markedly different in the rash disappearance time (18.17±2.13 days vs 17.00±2.68 days, P>0.05) and the incidence rate of adverse reactions （3.3% vs 10%， P>0.05). In the treatment group, the negative conversion rate of TRUST titer at month 6, month 9, month 12 after the treatment were 6.7%, 40%, 53.3%  respectively, which were 3.3%, 23.3%, 40% in the control group respectively, with no significant differences (Ps<0.05). Conclusion: The efficacy and safety of cefixime are similar to BPG in the treatment of early symptomatic syphilis.

Key words: syphilis, Treponema pallidum, cefixime, antibiotics