Antibiotics For Intestinal Infections - What And How To Take? Pros And Cons

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

What antibiotics are taken for intestinal infections?

Intestinal infections are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms are typical for almost all inflammatory bowel infections.

Intestinal infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites, but viruses and bacteria remain the leaders among this group of pathogenic microorganisms. Treatment of intestinal infections is aimed at completely destroying the harmful flora and restoring the normal functioning of the organ.

Drugs are selected depending on the type of pathogen. If the disease is caused by bacteria, then antibacterial drugs are required. It's just that antibiotics are not prescribed for intestinal infections. First you need to determine the type of microbe that provoked the disease. Then a test is carried out for the sensitivity of the bacteria to a specific drug. This allows you to prescribe etiotropic treatment. The doctor should prescribe drugs.

Content:

• What antibiotics are prescribed for intestinal infections?
• Intestinal antiseptic treatment
• What antibiotics are prescribed for children with intestinal infection?
• Advantages and disadvantages of antibiotic therapy for intestinal infections
• How to take antibiotics for intestinal infections?
• Reviews
• Taking antibiotics for prevention

What antibiotics are prescribed for intestinal infections?

For the treatment of intestinal infections, there are several antibacterial drugs that have a wide spectrum of action:

• Cephalosporin. Drugs from this group may have the following names: Cefotaxime, Cefabol, Claforan, Rocesim. Their structure has some similarities with drugs of the penicillin series. The most common side effect of cephalosporins is allergic reactions.
• Tetracycline. Drugs in this group: Vibramycin, Doxycycline, Tetradox. They are rapidly absorbed in the intestines, have a pronounced antibacterial effect, but they can give various complications, sometimes even cause deafness. Preparations from the tetracycline group are not used to treat children.
• Penicillin. Drugs in this group can be found under such names as: Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Monomycin, etc. The spectrum of activity of these drugs is wide, they are harmful to most bacteria. Drugs from the penicillin group are prescribed to children and pregnant women, if there is a real need for it. The most common side effects of drugs in this group are allergic reactions.
• Aminoglycosides: Neomycin and Gentamicin. They are prescribed for the treatment of severe diseases caused by bacterial flora. Drugs in this group are prescribed only for health reasons, since they have a toxic effect on the kidneys, liver and other organs.
• Fluoroquinolone. Drugs in this group: Levofloxacin, Ciprolet, Ofloxacin, Normax, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, etc. These drugs affect the enzyme that is responsible for the synthesis of bacterial DNA, thereby destroying the pathogenic flora. Fluoroquinolones are not prescribed for women in position, for people under 18 years old, for patients with pathologies of the heart and blood vessels.

• Macrolides. The drugs in this group are produced under the names: Azithromycin, Roxithromycin, Erythromycin. Macrolides can be used to treat children as well as pregnant and lactating women. They are prescribed when it is not possible to use drugs from the penicillin group.
• Levomycetin. Previously, this drug was often prescribed to treat intestinal infections, but nowadays it is rarely used. The fact is that it has a destructive effect on the human bone marrow.

The drugs of the penicillin group and aminoglycosides are most often treated not with intestinal, but with colds. In case of intestinal damage, predominantly cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and sulfonamides are prescribed. Medicines from the tetracyclines group can also be prescribed, but this is rarely done, only in a severe course of the disease, when there is a threat to the patient's life.

Antibiotics for intestinal infections are used only in the form of injections. The duration of therapy is at least a week.

Intestinal antiseptic treatment

For intestinal infections, antiseptic drugs are often prescribed. They selectively act on pathogenic flora, but the intestinal bacteria's own bacteria remain intact.

Intestinal antiseptics are harmful to most bacteria (staphylococcus, proteus, shigella, etc.). They can be assigned to children and adults.

These drugs include:

• Ersefuril (nifuroxazide). This drug can be used to treat children over 6 years of age. Its action is aimed at suppressing the vital activity of the bacterial flora that populates the intestines. Ersefuril is prescribed for rotavirus infection, for dysentery.
• Furazolidone. This is a time-tested antibacterial drug that is harmful to many harmful microorganisms (salmonella, shigella, etc.). In addition to the antibacterial effect, Furazolidone allows you to increase the patient's immunity.
• Intetrix is a drug that allows you to destroy not only harmful bacteria, but also fungi and parasites. It can be used not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of intestinal infections, for example, while hiking.
• Phthalazol is an antiseptic with a wide spectrum of action. It should be used with caution in children as it has side effects.
• Enterol is a preparation containing live yeast that kills harmful bacteria. Enterol contains protease. Thanks to this enzyme, the toxins released by bacteria will be destroyed and will not harm the human body. Also Enterol contains probiotics that stimulate the growth of the natural microflora of the human intestine. A single dose of the drug is enough to feel the therapeutic effect. However, Enterol should not be combined with antibiotics or adsorbents. It has no contraindications, therefore it is prescribed for the treatment of lactating and pregnant women, as well as children.

What antibiotics are prescribed for children with intestinal infection?

Antibiotics are required to rid the child of an intestinal infection caused by the bacterial flora. Moreover, the drug should be as effective and safe as possible.

Drugs that can be prescribed to treat children:

• Penicillins: Amoxiclav, Amosin, Augmentin, Flemoxin solutab. These medicines are the safest for treating children, although the risk of allergic reactions cannot be ruled out. For therapy, it is best to use penicillins protected by clavulanic acid, since many bacteria have developed resistance to pure penicillins.
• Low toxicity and a sufficient effect in the treatment of intestinal infections are such drugs as: Suprax, Cephalexin, Zinnat. However, they cannot be used to treat infants during the neonatal period.
• Clarithromycin, Wilprafen and Sumamed are antibacterial drugs that have been used for many years to treat intestinal infections. They rarely cause allergic reactions, but they can kill many bacteria.
• Enterofuril is used more often than other drugs to treat intestinal infections. Its active substance has no systemic effect on the body, "working" only in the intestine. This medication can be used to treat children over a month old and to treat pregnant women.

If the disease is mild, then there is no need to give the child an antibiotic, the use of intestinal antiseptics is enough. In a moderate condition, drugs such as Ampicillin or Amoxiclav can be used. Provided that the child is allergic to them, or there are any other contraindications to their use, it is possible to prescribe drugs from the macrolide group, for example, Azithromycin.

Read more: Intestinal infection in children: what to do?

Advantages and disadvantages of antibiotic therapy for intestinal infections

Taking antibiotics is always associated with the risk of side effects. So, women often develop thrush. There is a risk of dysbiosis, AAD (antibiotic-associated diarrhea), bowel disorders, etc.

The advantages of antibiotics in the treatment of diarrhea include:

• The drugs act on the cause of the disease.
• The therapeutic effect is achieved as soon as possible, but only on condition that the drug is selected correctly.
• Bacteria cease to have a toxic effect on the human body.
• The bacteria will be completely destroyed.

The disadvantages of treating intestinal infections with antibiotics include:

• They have a systemic effect on the body.
• Each drug has a number of contraindications.
• Many antibiotics cannot be used to treat children, women in positions, and nursing mothers.
• Antibiotics can cause side effects.

How to take antibiotics for intestinal infections?

If an antibiotic has been prescribed, then it must be drunk with a full course, which lasts at least 5 days for a child and at least 7 days for an adult. Otherwise, there is a high risk that bacteria will develop resistance and it will be difficult to get rid of them.

You need to take drugs at regular intervals. To minimize side effects. Simultaneously with antibiotics, probiotics are drunk.

Reviews

The most effective and safe drugs for the treatment of intestinal infections are Norfloxacin (Normax) and Levofloxacin. They can also be used to treat traveler's diarrhea, cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis, salmonellosis, shigellosis, etc. However, children, lactating and pregnant women are not prescribed Norfloxacin. It should be taken with caution by epileptics, people with atherosclerotic disease and gastric ulcer.

Many women use Enterofuril to treat their children. It is also prescribed by most pediatricians if an intestinal infection is suspected. This drug meets all safety requirements and quickly brings relief to the child by relieving the severity of symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Taking antibiotics for prevention

Sometimes a person becomes infected with an intestinal infection due to circumstances beyond his control. However, if you follow the rules of hygiene, then the risks can be minimized.

Taking intestinal antiseptics while hiking or traveling can help minimize the risk of intestinal infection.

Author of the article: Danilova Tatyana Vyacheslavovna | Infectionist

Education: in 2008 received a diploma in General Medicine (General Medicine) at the Pirogov Russian Research Medical University. Immediately passed an internship and received a diploma of a therapist