Bacterial Infection
21 medicines
A bacterial infection happens when harmful bacteria multiply faster than the immune system can contain them, affecting the skin, respiratory tract, urinary system, ears, or gut. Antibiotics are the standard treatment.
Chloromycetin
Chloramphenicol
250/500mg
Chloromycetin is a antibiotics medication containing Chloramphenicol, available as 250/500mg tablets.
Zithromax Dispersible
Azithromycin
100mg
Zithromax Dispersible is a antibiotics medication containing Azithromycin, available as 100mg tablets.
Key facts
- A bacterial infection occurs when harmful bacteria enter the body and multiply faster than the immune system can contain them, and symptoms tend to worsen without treatment rather than clear up on their own.
- Symptoms vary by site: coughing and fever with chest infections, redness and swelling with skin infections, burning on urination with urinary infections, and pain or pressure with ear and sinus infections.
- Antibiotics are the primary treatment; the right choice depends on the bacteria involved and the site of infection, ranging from amoxicillin and cephalexin for common infections to trimethoprim for urinary infections.
- Seek medical attention if fever climbs above 39C, symptoms don't improve after two to three days of treatment, or a wound shows spreading redness.
Where bacteria tend to strike
Symptoms vary widely depending on where the infection sits. Throat and chest infections bring coughing, fever, and soreness. Skin infections cause redness, swelling, and sometimes discharge. Urinary infections produce burning on urination and frequent urgency. Ear and sinus infections often arrive with pain and pressure, frequently after a cold. The common thread across all of these is that symptoms tend to worsen without treatment rather than settle on their own.
How bacterial infections are treated
Antibiotics are the primary treatment, and the right choice depends on the type of bacteria and where the infection sits. Broad-spectrum agents such as amoxicillin and cephalexin are widely used for respiratory and skin infections. When resistance is a concern, amoxicillin is sometimes combined with clavulanate, which blocks the enzyme that would otherwise let resistant bacteria survive it. Clarithromycin covers atypical organisms responsible for walking pneumonia. Urinary infections respond well to trimethoprim. Chloramphenicol remains useful for certain serious infections where other options have failed. The full antibiotics range covers most common bacterial conditions.
When to get help promptly
Seek medical attention if a fever climbs above 39C, if symptoms don't improve after two to three days of treatment, or if a wound shows spreading redness or red streaks. In children under three months old and in older adults with chronic conditions, bacterial infections can worsen quickly, so early assessment matters.
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.