{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T02:15:00Z","timestamp":1780452900059,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Sex Transm Infect"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,13]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (DoxyPEP) has emerged as a promising tool for reducing bacterial sexually transmitted infections (bSTIs), particularly among men who have sex with men. This study aims to investigate the attitudes and prescribing practices of Italian infectious disease (ID) physicians regarding DoxyPEP for the prevention of bSTIs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This is a cross-sectional survey conducted between October 2024 and March 2025 among ID specialists registered with the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases. An anonymous online questionnaire assessed demographics, prescribing behaviour, attitudes and concerns regarding DoxyPEP. Favourability was rated on a visual analogue scale from 0 to 100. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics were used, and a Poisson regression model for predictors of favourable attitude was weighted according to the inverse of the probability of being sampled for responding to the survey.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Of 132 respondents, 44.0% reported prescribing DoxyPEP, primarily in STI or pre-exposure prophylaxis clinics and urban settings. Median favourability was 70\/100 and was higher among DoxyPEP prescribers (80 vs 50, p&lt;0.001). The main reasons for prescribing were repeated STIs and specific sexual behaviour. The most frequently cited concern was antimicrobial resistance (96.2%), followed by the perceived superiority of condoms in preventing bSTIs and DoxyPEP toxicity. Informal use of DoxyPEP without medical supervision was reported by 46.2%, but counselling was significantly lower among non-prescribers. Older age was independently associated with higher favourability (p=0.005).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This national survey shows a favourable attitude towards DoxyPEP among Italian ID physicians. DoxyPEP prescription was reported by less than half of the respondents, suggesting limited real-world use in Italy, with a variability in physicians\u2019 concerns and attitudes towards this preventive strategy for bSTIs.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056595","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,2]],"date-time":"2025-09-02T07:50:11Z","timestamp":1756799411000},"page":"103-106","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Attitudes and prescribing practices on doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (DoxyPEP) among Italian infectious diseases physicians: findings from a National SIMIT Survey"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"102","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4965-8789","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberto","family":"Rossotti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7811-6255","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelo Roberto","family":"Raccagni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universit\u00e0 Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Federico","family":"D\u2019Amico","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emanuele","family":"Nicastri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani, IRCCS, Roma, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giovanni","family":"Mazzola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ospedale Sant\u2019Elia, Caltanissetta, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1992-1796","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonio","family":"Cascio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Policlinico Universitario Paolo Giaccone, Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Falcone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ivan","family":"Gentile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3685-4289","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Giacomelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milano, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Mussini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico, Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roberto","family":"Parrella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Respiratory Infectious Disease Unit, AORN dei Colli, Cotugno Hospital, Napoli, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2673-2731","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Silvia","family":"Nozza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universit\u00e0 Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lanepe.2023.100738","article-title":"Prevention strategies for sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and viral hepatitis in Europe","volume":"34","author":"G\u00f6kengin","year":"2023","journal-title":"Lancet Reg Health Eur"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.rr7302a1"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2211934"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(24)00236-6"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"873","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(25)00085-4","article-title":"Doxycycline to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections in the USA: final results from the DoxyPEP multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial and open-label extension","volume":"25","author":"Luetkemeyer","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(24)00726-6","article-title":"DoxyPEP: real-life effectiveness in a cohort of men who have sex with men in Milan, Italy","volume":"25","author":"Raccagni","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1001\/jamainternmed.2024.7186","article-title":"Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis and Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Individuals Using HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis","volume":"185","author":"Traeger","year":"2025","journal-title":"JAMA Intern Med"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"266","DOI":"10.1001\/jamainternmed.2024.7178","article-title":"Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis and Sexually Transmitted Infection Trends","volume":"185","author":"Sankaran","year":"2025","journal-title":"JAMA Intern Med"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1177\/09564624241309433","article-title":"Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis for preventing bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Are clinical providers supportive?","volume":"36","author":"Imerlishvili","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J STD AIDS"},{"key":"2026021702100702000_102.2.103.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e18","DOI":"10.1097\/OLQ.0000000000002115","article-title":"Knowledge, Use, and Misuse of Self-Prescribed Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis in a Community-Based Preexposure Prophylaxis Service","volume":"52","author":"Rossotti","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sex Transm Dis"}],"container-title":["Sexually Transmitted Infections"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056595","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,17]],"date-time":"2026-02-17T10:10:35Z","timestamp":1771323035000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/sti.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056595"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,1]]},"references-count":10,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,17]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056595"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/sextrans-2025-056595","relation":{},"ISSN":["1368-4973","1472-3263"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1368-4973","type":"print"},{"value":"1472-3263","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,1]]}}}