Doxycycline is used to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of sexually transmitted infections has skyrocketed over the past decade.

The increase has prompted researchers to experiment with a common antibiotic that is showing some promising results in this fight.

Doxycycline is a widely used antibiotic used to treat other conditions such as acne. However, an NBC News article said that taking the antibiotic after sex — or even taking a smaller dose once a day — may reduce the risk of contracting an STI. This came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a controlled trial of the drug in gay men, bisexual men and transgender women — a group at increased risk of contracting an STI.

It turned out that a 200-milligram dose of doxycycline taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse reduced the risk of chlamydia and syphilis infection by more than 70 percent and the risk of gonorrhea by around 50 percent.

Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of STI prevention at the CDC, said it’s too early to say whether this will reverse a decade of rising STI rates, but there’s a lot of excitement about the research.