What is the antibiotic gentamicin used for?

Descriptions. Gentamicin injection is used to treat serious bacterial infections in many different parts of the body. Gentamicin belongs to the class of medicines known as aminoglycoside antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth.

What is gentamicin sulfate used for?

Topical gentamicin is used in adults and children 1 year of age and older to treat skin infections caused by certain bacteria. Topical gentamicin is in a class of medications called antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria that cause infections.

Is gentamicin an antibiotic?

Gentamicin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria. Gentamicin is used to treat severe or serious bacterial infections.

What bacteria does gentamicin treat?

Gentamicin is a broad spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic that is most effective against aerobic gram-negative rods. Gentamicin is also used in combination with other antibiotics to treat infections caused by gram positive organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and certain species of streptococci.

Why is gentamicin so effective?

Gentamicin and aminoglycosides have some specificities about their antibacterial activity. The bactericidal capacity of aminoglycosides correlates with their peak concentration in such a way that the greater the concentration, enhances bacterial killing.

Why is gentamicin given with penicillin?

Evidence was obtained that gentamicin interfered with bacterial lysis induced by penicillin, and this suggests that the aminoglycoside is responsible for the bactericidal activity of the combination, the role of the penicillin being solely to facilitate access of the aminoglycoside to its target site.

Is gentamicin a sulfa drug?

For instance, common ophthalmic medications such as atropine sulfate, polymyxin B sulfate/trimethoprim (Polytrim®), gentamicin sulfate, and neomycin sulfate are by definition not considered sulfonamides, as they lack the characteristic SO2NH moiety linked directly to a benzene ring that defines such a group [9].

Is amikacin better than gentamicin?

Gentamicin was more active than amikacin against most species of enterobacteria, Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus but amikacin was more active against a proportion of Klebsiella and Providencia isolates.

What is gentamicin most commonly used for?

Gentamicin injection is used to treat certain serious infections that are caused by bacteria such as meningitis (infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) and infections of the blood, abdomen (stomach area), lungs, skin, bones, joints, and urinary tract.