Medical Uses
Azithromycin is used to treat many different infections, including acute otitis media,nonstreptococcal bacterial pharyngitis, gastrointestinal infections such as traveler's diarrhea, respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia, cellulitis, babesiosis, Bartonella infection, chancroid cholera, donovanosis, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, malaria, Mycobacterium avium complex disease, Neisseria meningitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, pertussis, scrub typhus, toxoplasmosis, and salmonellosis. It is used to prevent bacterial endocarditis and some sexually transmitted illnesses post sexual assault. It is also effective against localized dental infections.
It has a similar antimicrobial spectrum as erythromycin, but is more effective against certain Gram-negative bacteria, in particular, Haemophilus influenzae. Azithromycin resistance has been described and is endemic in many areas. Long-term use in treating Staphylococcus aureus infections with azithromycin may increase bacterial resistance to this and other macrolide antibiotics.
Azithromycin has been shown to be effective against malaria when used in combination with artesunate or quinine; the optimal dose for this is not yet known.
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