Introduction

Name

• Erythromycin.

Class of drug

• Macrolide antibiotic.

Description

Molecular formula

• C37H67NO13.

Physical properties

• Tablets.
• Solution.
• Powder.

Uses

Indications

• Has similar, although not identical, antibacterial spectrum to penicillins.
• Gram-positive infections.
  Some Staphylococci Staphylococcus spp are resistant - can be quite high
• Gram-positive bacilli and some gram-negative infections, eg Pasturella spp.
• Some strains of Actinomyces, Nocardia Nocardia spp , Chlamydia Pseudomonas and Rickettsia Escherichia coli.
  Most strains of the enterobacteriaceae, eg Pseudomonas spp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiellas pp, are resistant
• Penetrates soft tissues including skin; useful in treatment of prostatitis Acute prostatitis.

Administration

Precautions

Interactions

with other drugs

Methylprednisolone

• Erythromycin may increase serum levels Methylprednisolone.

Theophylline

• Erythromycin may increase serum levels Theophylline.

Terfenadine

• Erythromycin may increase serum levels. In humans the interaction with terfenadine has led to fatal arrhythmias Terfenadine.

Warfarin

• Erythromycin may increase serum levels Warfarin.

Digoxin

• Erythromycin may enhance the absorption of digoxin from the GIT Digoxin.

Adverse Reactions

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Based on Small Animal Formulary. Tennant, Bryn (1999) 3rd edn. Cheltenham: BSAVA.