doxycycline + rifampin

Doxycycline + rifampin is a combination of two oral antibiotics, doxycycline (a tetracycline-class antibiotic) and rifampin (a rifamycin-class antibiotic), primarily used for the treatment of brucellosis and other intracellular bacterial infections. Doxycycline inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit, while rifampin inhibits DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in susceptible bacteria, blocking RNA synthesis. This combination is recommended by the World Health Organization as a standard dual therapy for acute and subacute brucellosis, typically administered as doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily plus rifampin 600–900 mg once daily for six weeks. The regimen is favored due to its oral administration and good intracellular penetration; however, studies have shown that it may be associated with higher relapse rates compared to regimens containing streptomycin or triple therapy with levofloxacin[3][5][7]. Rifampin can induce hepatic enzymes that accelerate the metabolism of doxycycline, potentially reducing its plasma levels and efficacy[1][4]. The combination has also been studied in other infections such as scrub typhus[2].

Other names

doxycycline and rifampincombination antibiotic therapy for reactive arthritis