[Treatment of early syphilis under conditions of penicillin intolerance]

In the presence of penicillin allergy early syphilis can be treated with tetracyclines, erythromycin and thiamphenicol. Treatment with semisynthetic penicillins or cephalosporins should not be attempted in view of possible cross-sensitivity. From comparison of different antibiotic treatment schedules in the literature a time-dose relationship seems evident: within therapeutic limits, treatment with a high daily dose of antibiotic requires a relatively short duration, and vice versa. Results of various treatment schedules with different antibiotics suggest that preference should be given to doxycycline by oral route, 100 mg twice daily for 12 days.