Types of Antibiotics

I had a couple readers shoot me an email concerning differences in the types of antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections. There are hundreds of antibiotics out there, but most are classified into six main families. Here is a quick overview of the different antibiotic families:

• Penicillins are widely used to treat a variety of infections, including skin infections, chest infections and urinary tract infections. They're the most common kind of antibiotic available.
• Cephalosporins can be used to treat a wide range of infections but are also effective in treating more serious infections such as sepsis and meningitis.
• Aminoglycosides tend to be used only to treat very serious illnesses such as sepsis, as they can cause serious side effects, including hearing loss and kidney damage. They break down quickly inside the digestive system so they have to be given by injection. They are also used as drops for some ear or eye infections.
• Tetracyclines can be used to treat a wide range of infections. They are commonly used to treat moderate to severe acne and rosacea. Most people respond well to this antibiotic.
• Macrolides can be particularly useful in treating lung and chest infections. They can also be a useful alternative for people with a penicillin allergy or to treat penicillin-resistant strains of bacteria like MRSA.
• Fluoroquinolones or Quinolones are broad-spectrum antibiotics that can be used to treat a wide range of infections. These tend to be particularly effective on Staph strains.

Because of the difficulty of treating drug-resistant bacteria, many different antibiotics must be tested to find one that works. Generally, however, drugs in the same family tend to all be effective on similar bacteria. No antibiotic, of course, is a replacement for good hygiene practices. Remember - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. :)