urgent - re testing required???

[test1980]

Hello I am needing some advice.

10 weeks ago I had sexual contact with someone oral only who later foudn out that had Syphillis.

I immediatley went for a full sexual health test at 4 weeks post exposure against at 6 weeks, 8 weeks and HIV, HEP B, C and Syphillis were negative.  At the 4 weeks tes they suspected I had got NSU so gave me 4 tablets - Azithromycin 1g to treat and 250mg ceftriaxone by injection.  I went on to ttest at 6 and 8 weeks negative for all STD's
My local GUM clinic has today advised me that whilst my Syphillis test is negative I will need to re test at a further 3 months and 6 months as Azithromycin can affect the accuracy of Syphillis result

This has now worried me sick, I was led to believe that I was negative now all of a sudden I am being told that my results may not be accurate.

1, Is it righ tthat a negative Syphillis reuslt at 10 weeks after taking Azithromycin will affect the accuracy?
2, does it take longer than 3 months for a HEP B, C result to be accurate
3, Does Azithromycin affect other results like HIV or HEP?

[Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia, MD, MRCGP, PhD]

Yes, but as afar as I understand you had the syphilis test before you took the antibiotics at 4 weeks.  Therefore the result would not have been affected then.
Regards,
Dr José

[test1980]

Thanks you for your comments, from reading the internet itr does say 4 weeks highly accurate from Syphillis result however the GUM clinic said that Azithromycin will affect the accuracy and potentially can give a false negative, where as if I had not taken it then my result would of been more reliable, is this the case?

[Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia, MD, MRCGP, PhD]

Hello,
Thank you very much for you post and welcome to our forum.
I will try to answer to all your questions here below:

1, Is it righ tthat a negative Syphillis reuslt at 10 weeks after taking Azithromycin will affect the accuracy?

AZITHROMYCIN 2g. AS A SINGLE DOSE CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR EARLY SYPHILIS.  THE FACT THAT YOU ONLY TOOK 1g.MIGHT HAVE NOT TREATED THE INFECTION IN CASE YOU HAD IT, AND THEREFORE IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO HAVE THE TEST REPEATED AFTER 3 MONTHS OF THE TREATMENT, JUST IN CASE, AS A PRECAUTION.  HOWEVER I THINK IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT YOU HAVE CONTRACTED SYPHILIS, AS YOU HAD A NEGATIVE TEST AT 4 WEEKS, WHICH IS REASONABLE TIME TO GET A CONCLUSIVE RESULT.  I BELIEVE THAT YOUR GUMM CLINIC IS BEING EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS.  I DO NOT THINK THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE THE TEST REPEATED AFTER 6 MONTHS IF IT IS NEGATIVE AT 3 MONTHS.

2, does it take longer than 3 months for a HEP B, C result to be accurate

YOU DID NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK OF THESE IN THE FIRST PLACE; THEREFORE I WOULD NOT WORRY.  A NEGATIVE HEP B AND C RESULT AFTER 3 MONTHS IS CONSIDERED CONCLUSIVE.

3, Does Azithromycin affect other results like HIV or HEP?

NO, IT DOES NOT.  IT IS AN ANTIBIOTIC AND AS SUCH, IT HAS NOT EFFECTS ON VIRAL INFECTION LIKE HIV OR HEPATITIS.

Best wishes,

Dr José