What does Doxycycline treat?

How does Doxycycline work?

Launched in the 1960s, Doxycycline was Pfizer’s first broad-spectrum antibiotic. It does not kill vulnerable bacteria. It merely slows down their growth and prevents their reproduction. This gives your immune system a chance to deal with the infection.

Is Doxycycline still broad-spectrum?

The majority of antibiotics are reducing in their effectiveness. The main problem lies in their wide use in farming our meat animals. Because all the major varieties of bacteria are exposed to Doxycycline, they can build up resistance. When we handle uncooked meat or eat meat not properly cooked, we take in resistant strains and they pass on their immunity the the bacteria already inside us. So, although Doxycycline does remain reasonably effective against a range of diseases, we should help by always taking every course of treatment to the end. This kills as many of the bacteria as possible.

What does Doxycycline treat?

It is effective against three different types of infection, i.e. caused by:

• bacteria;
• protozoa; and
• worms.

What are the bacterial infections?

Rather than give a long list, it treat some of the most deadly diseases like anthrax and the plague, and works down through Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and MRSA infection, to more mild infections affecting breathing, e.g. sinusitis, or the urinary tract and prostate. In addition to the latter, it is also effective against some sexually transmitted diseases. Finally, it is used to treat acne, rosacea and other skin problems.

What are the protozoal infections?

Protozoa are microorganisms, usually single-celled like an amoeba. The main application is in the preventative treatment of malaria, but Doxycycline is also effective against sleeping, sickness, dysentery and other serious infectious diseases.

What infections are caused by worms?

Unfortunately, a number of different types of worms can cause problems for humans. The most serious is Wuchereria in which a parasitic worm infects the lymphatic system. Untreated, this develops into Elephantiasis which causes an extreme swelling of the arms and legs. More than 100 million people are infected every year.

What are the problems?

This drug is best used over quite short periods of time. If you intend to use it for longer, say to prevent malaria or to treat skin problems like acne, it can cause increasing photosensitivity, i.e. the ultraviolet in sunlight will burn your skin more rapidly. It also causes the layers of skin to thin and, if you continue taking Doxycycline, this can become a permanent problem.