Antibiotics
Antibiotics treat infections caused by bacteria and have no effect on viral illnesses such as colds or influenza. This group spans several chemical classes and reaches from oral tablets to injections, eye drops and a cream, so which one a prescriber reaches for depends on both the bacteria involved and the site of the infection.
Vibramycin
100mg
Indicated to address bacterial and intracellular infections to manage systemic health and support pathogen clearance.
Bactrim
Sulfamethoxazole, Trimethoprim
400mg + 80mg · 800mg + 160mg
Formulated to alleviate systematic bacterial infections to support tissue resolution and target microbial growth.
Nitrofurantoin Tablets
50mg · 100mg
Utilised to manage urinary path infections to alleviate pelvic burning and support structural tissue clearing.
Erythromycin Tablets
250mg · 500mg
Utilised to manage bacterial tissue colonisations to alleviate clinical symptoms and support metabolic resolution.
Ampicillin Tablets
250mg · 500mg
Intended to relieve bacterial proliferation to support recovery and mitigate infection severity.
Minocycline Tablets
50mg · 100mg
Utilised to manage systemic and dermal bacterial infections to alleviate pustular breakouts and support tissue health.
Chloramphenicol Tablets
500mg
Intended to relieve severe life-threatening bacterial infections to support tissue resolution and target resistant microorganisms.
Tinidazole Tablets
500mg
Utilised to manage anaerobic protozoal and bacterial infections to support mucosal clearance and target pathogen cell structure.
Fucidin Cream
2% 15gm · 2% 5gm
Utilised to manage superficial bacterial skin infections to alleviate pustular lesions and support dermal healing.
Clindamycin Tablets
150mg · 300mg
Intended to relieve bacterial proliferation to support tissues during recovery and target anaerobic microflora.
Cefaclor Tablets
250mg · 500mg
Developed to mitigate bacterial tissue colonisations to support disease resolution and target cell wall integrity.
Isoniazid Tablets
100mg · 300mg
Formulated to alleviate active tuberculosis infections to support respiratory recovery and target mycobacterial growth.
Ethionamide Tablets
250mg
Developed to mitigate mycobacterial replication to support chronic tissue clearance and target resistant tuberculosis strains.
Ornidazole Tablets
500mg
Formulated to alleviate anaerobic bacterial and protozoal infections to support tissue clearing and target parasitic DNA structures.
Secnidazole Tablets
1g
Formulated to alleviate localised bacterial vaginosis to support vaginal tissue health and target anaerobic microflora.
Vancomycin Capsules
250mg
Intended to relieve gastrointestinal bacterial infections to support mucosal structure recovery and target bowel pathogens.
Fosfomycin Sachets
3g
Developed to mitigate bacterial cystitis to support urinary tissue clearing and target urinary pathogen replication.
Ciprodex Ophthalmic Solution
0.3% + 0.1% 5ml
Developed to mitigate bacterial conjunctival infections to support local tissue healing and alleviate ocular swelling.
Ciloxan Ophthalmic Solution
5ml
Formulated to alleviate corneal and ocular infections to support visual clarity and target pathogenic surface microbes.
Mikacin Injection
100mg per 2ml
Developed to mitigate complex gram-negative infections to support rapid blood clearing and target bacterial replication.
Key points
- CDC’s Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance Facts notes that any antibiotic use can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, so unnecessary use carries avoidable risk.
- WHO’s AWaRe classification of antibiotics for evaluation and monitoring of use, 2023 groups antibiotics into Access, Watch and Reserve categories to guide appropriate use and track resistance.
- NICE defines antimicrobial stewardship as promoting and monitoring judicious antibiotic use, with attention to local resistance patterns.
Penicillins, cephalosporins and macrolides for common infections
Amoxil and Advent Dt contain amoxicillin, and Augmentin combines the same ingredient with clavulanic acid. Ceftin, Suprax, Duricef and Keftab are cephalosporins, containing cefuroxime axetil, cefixime, cefadroxil and cephalexin respectively, used across throat, ear, skin and urinary infections. Azee Dt contains azithromycin and Biaxin contains clarithromycin, macrolides also reached for chest and sinus infections.
Fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines
Cipro and Baycip contain ciprofloxacin, used for urinary, sinus and bone infections and, as Ciloxan Ophthalmic Solution, as an eye drop for bacterial conjunctivitis. Vibramycin contains doxycycline, used for chlamydia and malaria prevention as well as bacterial infections, and Sumycin and Tetracin both contain tetracycline.
Tuberculosis medicines
Rifadin contains rifampicin, Myambutol contains ethambutol, and Ethionamide Tablets, Isoniazid Tablets and Seromycin complete the group with ethionamide, isoniazid and cycloserine. All five are used for tuberculosis.
Infections that need a different antibiotic
Ornidazole Tablets, Tinidazole Tablets and Secnidazole Tablets, together with Flagyl Er’s metronidazole, are used for trichomoniasis, amoebiasis, giardiasis or bacterial vaginosis rather than for everyday bacterial infections. Zyvox contains linezolid and Vancomycin Capsules contain vancomycin, both used against vancomycin-resistant or hard-to-treat infections, while Mikacin Injection, Fucidin Cream, Nitrofurantoin Tablets and Fosfomycin Sachets cover severe infections, skin infections and urinary infections through amikacin, fusidic acid, nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin.
Further reading
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