Augmentin® medication for STDs against a pink background

Augmentin® For STDs: What You Need to Know

Written on August 11, 2023 by Sendra Yang, PharmD, MBA. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.

Table of contents

Millions of people are infected with sexually transmitted infections (STIs, also called STDs). In the United States, over 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in 2021.[1] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 1 in 5 Americans have an STI.[2] New STIs contribute to nearly $16 billion in direct healthcare expenses annually. A reported $1.1 billion in direct medical care costs was associated with three common and preventable STIs — chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

Almost all STIs are treatable, and many are curable.[3,4] STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are caused by bacterial infections.[4] Chlamydia is caused by infection with the microbe Chlamydia trachomatis. Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and syphilis by Treponema pallidum. Like these three STIs, other STIs are caused by bacteria, and various antibiotics are used in the treatment.[4] Augmentin® is a frequently used antibiotic for various infections, including STIs.[4-6]

What Is Augmentin®?

Augmentin® is a frequently used oral antibiotic composed of two active ingredients, amoxicillin, and clavulanic acid.[5,7] Amoxicillin is a derivative of penicillin and is considered a third-generation penicillin antibiotic.[5,8] Amoxicillin, like penicillin, has activity against similar types of bacteria, including Enterococcus species, Listeria monocytogenes, Streptococcus species, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella species.[5] Adding clavulanic acid to amoxicillin broadens the coverage to include organisms such as Neisseria species, Proteus species, and Pasteurella multocida. Augmentin® has approved indications to treat lower respiratory tract infections, sinusitis, skin infections, urinary tract infections, and acute ear infections.[5,7] It can also be used less commonly to treat other types of infectious conditions.[5,6]

How Augmentin® Works

Augmentin® works by the combined mechanisms of action of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.[5,7] Amoxicillin is considered a broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotic. It has bactericidal properties that target and kill bacteria. Amoxicillin works by inhibiting the production of the outermost layer of the bacterial cell wall. [5] The drug binds to a protein called penicillin-binding protein (PBP) to interrupt the creation of the outer layer, destroying the bacteria. Over time, microbes can develop resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, like amoxicillin, by making an enzyme known as beta-lactamase. Clavulanic acid is an inhibitor of the beta-lactamase enzymes and is added to amoxicillin to help reduce this resistance. Clavulanic acid by itself has very little antimicrobial activity, but when combined with amoxicillin, it broadens the antibiotic effects of amoxicillin.

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Can Augmentin® Be Used For STDs?

Current CDC treatment guidelines do not specifically mention Augmentin® as a preferred or alternative therapy for STIs.[4] However, your healthcare provider will determine which treatment is best suited for you based on your individual circumstances. Augmentin® could potentially be used for STI treatment.[4-6] Here are some reasons why Augmentin® could be used for chlamydia and gonorrhea.[4,5,7,9,10]

The CDC treatment guideline lists amoxicillin, a component of Augmentin®, as a recommended alternative therapy for the treatment of chlamydia in pregnant women.[4] Augmentin® is also a pregnancy category B and considered safe to use if needed.[5,7] Therefore, Augmentin® could be an option for pregnant women with chlamydia. Additionally, studies from the early 1980s have shown that Augmentin® was effective against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent for gonorrhea.[5,9,10]

If you think that you have been exposed to an STI, be sure to reach out to your healthcare provider.[4] They will be able to determine the most appropriate treatment option for you. As part of therapy, your healthcare provider will also discuss STI prevention strategies with you.

Side Effects Of Augmentin®

Augmentin® is generally considered safe and is well-tolerated by most people.[5] The majority of the common side effects are mild gastrointestinal symptoms. These include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal discomfort. There have also been reports of Clostridium difficile-related diarrhea with Augmentin® use.[5,7] Other potentially less common side effects are skin rash, hepatic dysfunction, vasculitis, and seizures.

STD Testing and Telehealth With Everlywell

If you think you have been exposed to an STI or an STD, or are experiencing signs and symptoms associated with STIs, reach out to your healthcare provider. At Everlywell, you have the option to schedule on-demand, virtual STI consults. You can connect with a clinician in two hours or less via video call. If applicable, you can get treatment and have your prescription sent directly to your pharmacy.

Everlywell also offers at-home lab tests for STIs. There are STI at-home lab tests for men and women, which you can take in the privacy of your own home, including tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Get STD treatment online

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References

  1. Sexually transmitted disease surveillance, 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2021/default.htm. April 11, 2023. Accessed August 3, 2023.
  2. At a glance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/prevalence-2020-at-a-glance.htm. January 25, 2021. Accessed August 3, 2023.
  3. STDs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/general/default.htm. July 7, 2023. Accessed August 3, 2023.
  4. STI treatment guidelines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/default.htm. June 13, 2023. Accessed August 3, 2023.
  5. Evans J, Hanoodi M, Wittler M. Amoxicillin Clavulanate. [Updated 2022 Dec 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538164/
  6. Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a685024.html. Accessed August 3, 2023.
  7. DailyMed - augmentin- amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium tablet, film coated augmentin- amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium powder, for suspension. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=174cc098-fe49-4f1a-87e2-601c7573f0db. Accessed August 3, 2023.
  8. Penicillins (3rd Generation). In: LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2020.
  9. Hook EW 3rd, Kirkcaldy RD. A brief history of evolving diagnostics and therapy for gonorrhea: Lessons learned. Clin Infect Dis. 2018;67(8):1294-1299. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy271. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29659749/.
  10. Lim KB, Rajan VS, Giam YC, Lui EO, Sng EH, Yeo KL. Two-dose Augmentin treatment of acute gonorrhea in men. Br J Vener Dis. 1984;60(3):161-3. doi: 10.1136/sti.60.3.161
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