The main types of antibiotics include: Penicillins - for example, phenoxymethylpenicillin, flucloxacillin and amoxicillin. Cephalosporins - for example, cefaclor, cefadroxil and cefalexin. Tetracyclines - for example, tetracycline, doxycycline and lymecycline.
Vancomycin, long considered a "drug of last resort," kills by preventing bacteria from building cell walls. It binds to wall-building protein fragments called peptides, in particular those that end with two copies of the amino acid D-alanine (D-ala).
Penicillin is the most widely prescribed of all antibiotics, usually in the form of amoxicillin.
Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics such as amoxicillin, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin.
The most deadly bacterial disease contracted by human beings is mycobacterium tuberculosis, the world's leading infectious disease with more than 1,700,000 deaths per year. As much as 13% of cases are resistant to most antibiotics, and about 6% are resistant or unresponsive to essentially all treatment.
Some, such as penicillin, kill bacteria by destroying the bacterial cell wall. Others, such as tetracycline, interfere with the ability of bacteria cells to reproduce or make proteins or nutrients they need to survive.
For ear and sinus infections that are probably caused by bacteria, the recommended antibiotic in most cases is amoxicillin (Amoxil and generic) or amoxicillin with clavulanate (Augmentin and generic). For strep throat, the recommended treatment is either amoxicillin or penicillin.
Saving Lives, Yet Not Without Risk
Penicillins are the oldest of the antibiotics and are generally safe (but they can cause side effects such as diarrhea, skin rash, fever and more).
Viruses are germs different from bacteria. They cause infections, such as colds and flu. However, antibiotics do not treat infections caused by viruses.
Don't: Take antibiotics with milk or fruit juice
These products can interact with antibiotics and affect how your body absorbs them. Be careful with grapefruit and citrus juices, and wait at least three hours after taking your prescription before consuming dairy products.
Antibiotics can take a few days before they start to work, so you may need to wait 3-5 days before you notice improvements. Depending on the infection, it may take longer to feel fully better (like with bacterial pneumonia).
Amoxicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanate is the recommended first-line therapy. Macrolides such as azithromycin are not recommended due to high levels of Streptococcus pneumoniae antibiotic resistance (~40%).
Carbapenems, such as meropenem, are a group of vital often 'last-resort' antibiotics used to treat serious, multi-drug resistant infections when other antibiotics, such as penicillin, have failed.
Augmentin would be considered stronger than amoxicillin for treating infections caused by strains of bacteria that produce beta-lactamase.
Antibiotics begin to work right after you start taking them. However, you might not feel better for 2 to 3 days. How quickly you get better after antibiotic treatment varies. It also depends on the type of infection you're treating.
Honey is one the oldest known antibiotics, tracing back to ancient times. Egyptians frequently used honey as a natural antibiotic and skin protectant. Honey contains hydrogen peroxide , which may account for some of its antibacterial properties.
Enterobacteriaceae, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli (E. coli) can cause serious infections of the urinary tract, bloodstream and wounds, and can also cause pneumonia. These infections are becoming difficult to treat because some bacteria have become resistant to all or most available antibiotics.
Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine, to make sure the pills have gone through the esophagus into the stomach. Notify your healthcare provider if you experience painful swallowing or feel that the medicine is sticking in your throat.
Staying hydrated helps prevent infections and keeps antibiotics working.
Some antibiotics are always meant to be taken at the same time of day, others are meant to be taken before, with or after a meal. If you are supposed to take the medicine three times a day, for example, it usually needs to be taken at set times so that the effect is spread out evenly over the course of the day.