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What Is Azithromycin Used For?

Many people wonder, "What is azithromycin used for?" Azithromycin is used to treat a number of common bacterial infections in both children and adults. Ear, skin, and respiratory infections are among the infections that azithromycin treats. The medicine is also used to treat some sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea and chlamydia. Off-label azithromycin uses include preventing heart infections and treating acne.

 

What Is Azithromycin Used For? -- An Overview

Azithromycin (Zithromax®) is a prescription antibiotic licensed to treat a number of infections in both children and adults. Some of these azithromycin uses include:
 
  • Treatment of bacterial infections
  • Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
     
Bacterial Infections
Azithromycin is most commonly used to treat the following infections:
 
  • Respiratory infections, such as bronchitis
  • Ear infections (otitis media)
  • Sinus infections (sinusitis)
  • Pneumonia
  • Throat infections (tonsillitis/pharyngitis)
  • Skin infections, such as cellulitis, folliculitis, or impetigo
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
     
Azithromycin may also be used to treat a number of other more uncommon bacterial infections.
 
Azithromycin is not effective against any infection caused by a virus, such as the flu, stomach flu, or common cold.
 
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, represent a group of infections that are transmitted among people via direct sexual contact. People who have been infected with an STD usually experience painful discharge and a number of various symptoms that accompany inflammation of the cervix or urethra. Azithromycin is commonly used to treat STDs such as:
 
(What Is Azithromycin Used For? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;