Bacterial Infections
Antibiotics for treating common bacterial infections
Antiparasitic
Anthelmintic / Dewormer
Antibiotic
Aminoglycoside
Amikacin
PrescriptionSerious infections that other antibiotics cannot treat, severe urinary tract infections, blood infections (sepsis), bone infections, serious lung infections, wound infections, infections after surgery
Gentamicin
PrescriptionSerious body infections, eye infections (apollo, conjunctivitis), ear infections, skin infections, wound infections, urinary tract infections, blood infections (sepsis), bone infections
Antibiotic
Penicillin-type
Amoxicillin
OTCEar infections, throat infections (tonsillitis), chest infections, urinary tract infections (UTI), typhoid, tooth infections, skin infections, stomach ulcer caused by bacteria
Ampicillin
PrescriptionTyphoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), ear infections, chest infections like pneumonia and bronchitis, skin infections, stomach and intestinal infections, throat infections, gonorrhoea
Antibiotic
Penicillin combination with beta-lactamase inhibitor
Amoxicillin; Clavulanic Acid
PrescriptionStubborn infections that don't respond to regular amoxicillin, ear infections, sinus infections, throat infections, chest infections (pneumonia, bronchitis), urinary tract infections (UTI), skin infections, dental infections, typhoid that is resistant to other antibiotics
Amoxicillin Trihydrate, Potassium Clavulanate
PrescriptionStubborn infections like ear infections, sinus infections, throat infections, chest infections (pneumonia, bronchitis), urinary tract infections (UTI), skin infections, dental infections, and infections that did not respond to regular amoxicillin
Antibiotic
Penicillin combination
Amoxicillin; Flucloxacillin
PrescriptionSkin infections, boils, wound infections, chest infections, throat infections, ear infections, dental infections, infections that resist regular amoxicillin alone
Ampicillin; Cloxacillin
PrescriptionInfections of the throat, chest and lungs (pneumonia, bronchitis), skin and wound infections, boil, ear infections, urinary tract infections (UTI), typhoid, bone and joint infections, infections after surgery, septicaemia (serious blood infection)
Antibiotic
Macrolide
Azithromycin
PrescriptionChest infections, cough and catarrh caused by bacteria, typhoid, sore throat, ear infections, skin infections, sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea, eye infections
Clarithromycin
PrescriptionChest infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, throat infections, tonsillitis, ear infections, skin infections, sinusitis, stomach ulcers caused by H. pylori bacteria, typhoid-like infections
Erythromycin
PrescriptionChest infections, pneumonia, throat infections, tonsillitis, skin infections, boils, ear infections, eye infections, typhoid, sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, wound infections
Antibiotic
Long-acting Penicillin
Antibiotic
Penicillin
Benzylpenicillin sodium
PrescriptionSerious bacterial infections like pneumonia, meningitis (brain infection), septicaemia (blood infection), throat infections, wound infections, sexually transmitted infections like syphilis and gonorrhoea, tetanus, and skin infections
Crystalline Penicillin
PrescriptionSerious infections like pneumonia, meningitis (infection of the brain covering), blood infection (sepsis), throat infection, wound infection, heart valve infection, tetanus, and other severe bacterial infections
Phenoxymethylpenicillin
PrescriptionThroat infections (tonsillitis, sore throat), ear infections, mouth and gum infections, mild chest infections, skin infections, prevention of rheumatic fever
Procaine Benzylpenicillin
PrescriptionSyphilis, gonorrhea, chest infections (pneumonia), skin infections, sore throat from bacteria, wound infections, yaws
Procaine Benzylpenicillin; Benzylpenicillin Sodium
PrescriptionSerious bacterial infections, pneumonia, sexually transmitted infections like syphilis and gonorrhoea, skin infections, wound infections, throat infections, ear infections, chest infections
Procaine Penicillin; Benzyl Penicillin Sodium
PrescriptionSerious bacterial infections, pneumonia, sore throat infections, skin infections, wound infections, sexually transmitted infections like syphilis and gonorrhoea, ear infections, tonsillitis
Antibiotic
Cephalosporin
Cefadroxil
PrescriptionThroat infections, tonsillitis, urinary tract infections (UTI), skin infections, boils, wound infections, ear infections
Cefdinir
PrescriptionThroat infections, ear infections, sinus infections (blocked nose with thick discharge), chest infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, skin infections, typhoid-like bacterial infections
Cefixime
PrescriptionTyphoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), ear infections, throat infections, chest infections like bronchitis, gonorrhoea, tonsillitis
Cefpodoxime
PrescriptionThroat infections, ear infections, urinary tract infections (UTI), chest infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, skin infections, typhoid, gonorrhoea, sinus infections
Cefuroxime
PrescriptionTyphoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), ear infections, sore throat, tonsillitis, bronchitis, chest infections (pneumonia), skin infections, gonorrhoea, sinusitis
Antibiotic
First-generation cephalosporin
Antibiotic
Fourth-generation Cephalosporin
Antibiotic
Cephalosporin + Beta-lactamase inhibitor
Cefixime; Clavulanic Acid
PrescriptionTyphoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), throat infections, ear infections, chest infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, skin infections, stubborn bacterial infections that resist regular antibiotics
Ceftriaxone; Sulbactam
PrescriptionSevere typhoid, serious chest infections (pneumonia), urinary tract infections (UTI), blood infections (sepsis), bone and joint infections, skin infections, abdominal infections, meningitis, infections after surgery
Ceftriaxone; Tazobactam
PrescriptionSevere typhoid, serious urinary tract infections (UTI), pneumonia, blood infections (sepsis), skin and wound infections, abdominal infections, infections after surgery, meningitis
Ceftriaxone and Sulbactam
PrescriptionSevere typhoid, serious body infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTI), blood infections (sepsis), skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, meningitis, infections after surgery
Cefuroxime; Clavulanic acid
PrescriptionStubborn infections like typhoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), chest infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, skin infections, sore throat, tonsillitis
Antibiotic
Cephalosporin + Beta-lactamase inhibitor combination
Cefoperazone; Sulbactam
PrescriptionSevere infections like typhoid, serious urinary tract infections (UTI), lung infections (pneumonia), blood infections (sepsis), skin infections, stomach and abdominal infections, infections after surgery
Cefpodoxime; Clavulanic Acid
PrescriptionStubborn bacterial infections, typhoid, upper and lower respiratory tract infections (chest infections, bronchitis, pneumonia), urinary tract infections (UTI), ear infections, sinus infections, throat infections, skin and soft tissue infections
Ceftazidime; Avibactam
PrescriptionSerious hospital infections, complicated urinary tract infections (UTI), complicated stomach and abdominal infections, hospital-acquired pneumonia (lung infection), infections caused by bacteria that other antibiotics cannot treat
Antibiotic
Third-generation Cephalosporin
Cefotaxime
PrescriptionSevere typhoid, serious blood infections (sepsis), meningitis (brain infection), pneumonia, urinary tract infections, bone and joint infections, serious skin infections, infections after surgery, gonorrhea
Ceftazidime
PrescriptionSevere typhoid, serious chest infections (pneumonia), urinary tract infections (UTI), blood infections (sepsis), bone infections, meningitis (brain infection), severe skin infections, hospital-acquired infections
Ceftriaxone
PrescriptionTyphoid fever, serious body infections, meningitis (brain infection), pneumonia (chest infection), urinary tract infections (UTI), sepsis (blood infection), gonorrhea, bone and joint infections, skin infections
Antibiotic
Cephalosporin — 5th generation
Antibiotic with Local Anaesthetic
Cephalosporin
Antibiotic
Kills bacteria that cause infections
Chloramphenicol
PrescriptionTyphoid fever, serious bacterial infections, eye infections (apollo/conjunctivitis), ear infections, skin infections
Chloramphenicol Palmitate
PrescriptionTyphoid fever, serious bacterial infections, bacterial meningitis (brain infection), bacterial eye infections, severe chest infections that other antibiotics cannot treat
Sodium fusidate
PrescriptionSkin infections, boils, wound infections, infected eczema, impetigo (skin sores), infected cuts and burns, eye infections (when used as eye drops)
Antibiotic
Fluoroquinolone
Ciprofloxacin
PrescriptionTyphoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), serious stomach infections (running stomach caused by bacteria), bone and joint infections, skin infections, eye and ear infections, chest infections like pneumonia
Gemifloxacin
PrescriptionChest infections, pneumonia, bronchitis that keeps coming back, serious cough with infection, lung infections
Levofloxacin
PrescriptionSerious typhoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), chest infections like pneumonia, skin infections, sinus infections, chronic bronchitis, prostate infections
Moxifloxacin
PrescriptionSerious chest infections (pneumonia), sinus infections, bronchitis, skin infections, eye infections (conjunctivitis, eye ulcers), complicated stomach infections, typhoid that doesn't respond to other antibiotics
Pefloxacin
PrescriptionTyphoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), stomach and intestinal infections, respiratory tract infections (chest infections), skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, gonorrhea and other bacterial infections
Sparfloxacin
PrescriptionTyphoid, respiratory infections (chest infections, bronchitis, pneumonia), urinary tract infections (UTI), skin infections, sinus infections, ear infections
Antibiotic + Antiparasitic
Fluoroquinolone + Nitroimidazole combination
Antibiotic
Lincosamide
Clindamycin
PrescriptionSerious skin infections, bone and joint infections, dental infections, pelvic infections in women, lung infections (like lung abscess), wound infections, acne (topical form)
Clindamycin phosphate
PrescriptionSkin infections, acne (pimples), wound infections, bone infections, serious body infections, infections after surgery, vaginal infections
Lincomycin
PrescriptionSerious bone infections (osteomyelitis), serious skin and soft tissue infections, serious lung and chest infections (pneumonia), blood infections (septicaemia), ear infections, joint infections — usually given when penicillin or other common antibiotics cannot be used
Antibiotic and Antifungal combination
Fights bacterial and fungal infections in body
Corticosteroid and Antibiotic combination
eye preparation
Dexamethasone; Tobramycin
PrescriptionEye infections with swelling, red eye (apollo) with bacterial infection, eye inflammation after surgery, conjunctivitis caused by bacteria
Dexamethasone; Neomycin
PrescriptionEye infections with inflammation, red and swollen eyes from bacterial infection, eye inflammation after surgery, conjunctivitis (apollo) with bacterial infection
Antibiotic
Tetracycline
Doxycycline
PrescriptionChest infections, typhoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), sexually transmitted infections (gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis), malaria prevention, severe acne (pimples), eye infections, wound infections, pelvic inflammatory disease
Oxytetracycline
PrescriptionChest infections, typhoid, urinary tract infections (UTI), eye infections, skin infections like boils and acne, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like gonorrhoea and chlamydia, wound infections
Antibiotic
Penicillinase-resistant Penicillin
Antiparasitic
Kills parasites that cause illness
Anthelmintic and Immunomodulator
Dewormer
Anthelmintic
anti-worm medicine
Antibiotic and Antiparasitic
Nitroimidazole
Metronidazole
PrescriptionStomach infections (amoeba), diarrhea caused by germs, dental infections, vaginal infections, wound infections, stomach ulcer (works alongside other drugs to kill the H. pylori bacteria), pelvic infections, infections after surgery
Tinidazole
PrescriptionAmoeba infection (amoebiasis), giardia infection (running stomach caused by parasites), bacterial vaginosis (vaginal infection with discharge and odour), trichomoniasis (sexually transmitted infection), dental infections, stomach ulcer caused by H. pylori bacteria
Antibiotic and Antiseptic combination
Kills bacteria and prevents infection on skin
Antibiotic
topical combination
Antibiotic and Antiparasitic combination
Fluoroquinolone + Nitroimidazole
Antibiotic
Penicillin + Beta-lactamase inhibitor combination
Anthelmintic
Dewormer
Antibiotic
Nitroimidazole — anti-parasitic and antibacterial
Aminoglycoside Antibiotic
Kills certain types of bacteria in the body
Streptomycin
PrescriptionTuberculosis (TB), plague, serious bacterial infections that other antibiotics cannot handle, brucellosis, tularemia, bacterial endocarditis (serious heart infection)
Tobramycin
PrescriptionEye infections (like apollo or conjunctivitis), serious bacterial infections of the blood, lungs, skin, bones, urinary tract, and stomach area
Antibiotic
Sulfonamide combination
Antibiotic
Tetracycline class
When to see a doctor
Seek care if you notice any of the following
- You have a high fever that lasts for more than 3 days or is over 39°C (102.2°F).
- You experience severe pain or swelling in your face or throat, making it hard to swallow or breathe.
- You have difficulty breathing or feel like you are choking, especially if you have a cough that brings up yellow or green mucus.
- You have a severe headache or stiff neck, especially if you have a fever or confusion.
- You have a rash that spreads quickly, is painful, or looks like it's infected, especially if you have a fever or swollen lymph nodes.
For guidance only — always consult a qualified healthcare provider.