All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Antibiotics for intestinal infection
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 03.07.2025
Antibiotics for intestinal infections are needed when the patient is in a very serious condition, has a fever and dehydration due to diarrhea and it is reliably known that the disease is not caused by a virus. Antibiotics do not work against viruses. If you bit your nails or visited a patient with symptoms of an intestinal infection, then it is quite possible that you have contracted it. Just do not immediately take the first antibiotic you come across, you need to consult a doctor.
Antibiotics for the treatment of intestinal infections
Antibiotics for intestinal infections are justified only in 20% of cases. Here are some drugs.
Rifaximin is a non-systemic antibiotic that is practically not absorbed. The drug is safe for both adults and children, for pregnant women, for the elderly. Antibiotics have changed the view on how to treat infections. Rifaximin prevents complications and mortality in intestinal infections. Other antibiotics in this group: Bankomycin, Bacitracin, Ramoplanin, Neomycin.
You can use one of these drugs. Do not suppress diarrhea and vomiting. This is how the body is cleansed of toxins released by pathogens. You can drink rehydron, diluting one packet in a liter of water. It will help to compensate for the loss of fluid. Drink fruit juices, chicken broth, eat crackers, blueberries, currants. To restore microflora, ask your doctor to prescribe you probiotics: Probifor, Bifistim.
Indications for the use of antibiotics for intestinal infections
As you know, children are careless about everything that surrounds them. And the younger the child, the more common are intestinal infections. Diarrhea is caused by about 40 pathogens, including 5 viruses, antibiotics are ineffective against them. Indications for prescribing antibiotics in children are the following: severe diarrhea, intestinal infection against the background of blood cancer and immunodeficiency. For a child in a mild condition, tablets are better than injections in any case. The antibiotic Cefix has become very popular in pediatrics. Its bioavailability is 40-50%. It is available in the form of a suspension for babies and tablets for older children. The dose is mg / kg per day. The dose should be divided into two doses at equal intervals and the antibiotic should be taken for at least 5 days. When treating intestinal infections, we often encounter two very harmful extremes: either an antibiotic is not prescribed when it is needed, or it is prescribed to everyone indiscriminately. Today there are a lot of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, and all because they were prescribed very often. Along with antibiotic therapy, it is necessary to carry out oral rehydration with the drugs Oralit, Regidron, Super-ORS. Antidiarrheal and antiemetic drugs such as Imodium and Cerucal should be used very carefully. Diarrhea and vomiting remove microorganisms from the intestines, there is no need to prevent this. This is a kind of protective mechanism of the body, wise nature has thought of everything. The drug Smecta protects the intestines and absorbs toxins. It also “collects” viruses well in viral diarrhea. Viral diarrhea is usually combined with nausea, vomiting and runny nose. Replacement therapy with enzyme preparations and antiviral drugs may be prescribed: Arbidol-Lens (0.05 g-0.1 g 3-4 times a day for 7 days) and Kipferon suppositories (for newborns - 1 suppository per day, for children from 1 year to 3 years - 1 suppository 2 times a day, from 3 years - 3 times a day for 7 days).
Dysbacteriosis almost always develops with intestinal infections. And irrational prescription of antibiotics can lead to its intensification and long-term carriage of bacteria.
Pharmacodynamics of antibiotics in intestinal infections
For example, let's consider the drug tetracycline, which has been prescribed by doctors for many years, despite the fact that there are other antibiotics for intestinal infections. It has a bacteriostatic effect on leptospira, large viruses and amoebas. Doxycycline is also a representative of the tetracycline series of antibiotics. It disrupts protein synthesis in the cells of microorganisms. It is used for enterococci, brucellosis, shengella, salmonella, campylobacter.
Pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in intestinal infections
Let's take the same doxycycline as an example.
Bioavailability of doxycycline is 97-98%. Maximum concentration is reached after 2-2.5 hours. After 20-45 minutes after administration, doxycycline can already be found in the liver, lungs, bones, bile. It penetrates the placenta and breast milk. Doxycycline is metabolized in the liver. It is excreted in feces, to a lesser extent - in urine.
Antibiotics for intestinal infections in children
Food and water spoil quickly in the summer. They are not sterile, which means they contain bacteria, including those dangerous for your child's stomach and intestines. Yes, children are especially vulnerable due to the imperfection of the immune system. Their body is literally attacked by millions of microscopic harmful monsters. Nature has given us many ways to defeat them. Even special blood cells that they feast on. Both saliva and gastric juice are the first obstacles in the path of microbes after swallowing food. But there are tenacious microbes that still manage to overcome all barriers. Salmonella and typhoid fever are especially dangerous. Their first sign is diarrhea and vomiting, there may be fever, but always. The patient must be given separate dishes. Immediately after the onset of symptoms, there can be no talk of even light food. But the supply of fluid, which is actively lost, must be replenished. Regular water, tea, and rosehip decoction will do. It is from fluid loss during diarrhea that 2 million children die annually in the world! Children under 3 months of age are almost always prescribed antibiotics by a pediatrician for intestinal infections. We can recommend an antibiotic produced by Ukraine together with Spain, it is called Lekor. Children from 2 to 6 months are given a suspension of a teaspoon twice a day, older children (up to 5 years) - 3 times. After 5 years, Lekor tablets are given, 200 mg 4 times a day. It is enough to drink them for 5 days. They do not have a detrimental effect on the intestinal flora.
Another good antibiotic is Cefixime. The suspension is given at a rate of 8 mg/kg 1 time. Capsules – 400 mg 1 time. The course is 5 days.
Azithromycin is given at a rate of 10 mg per kg of weight. On the 3rd day, a dose of 5 mg/kg is sufficient. The course of treatment is 5 days.
In 5-10 days you can completely restore your intestinal microflora with the help of probiotics.
If the doctor insists on hospital treatment, you should not refuse. As a rule, they put the child in the hospital for convulsions and dehydration. In the hospital, the child is given a rational diet, antibiotics, enzymes and probiotics. If the temperature rises, they give paracetamol. Before the doctor arrives, you are allowed to drink Smecta. But activated carbon is not worth it, since it colors the feces black, and you can miss gastric or intestinal bleeding. You can give the child rice broth or raisin broth. Remember that the best food for a breastfed baby during this period is mother's milk. It will help the baby recover and increase immunity.
[ 10 ], [ 11 ], [ 12 ], [ 13 ]
Antibiotics for acute intestinal infection
The most common intestinal infections are caused by E. coli, salmonella and giardia.
In case of acute intestinal infection, the basis of therapy is diet and antibiotics. The diet consists of products that slow down peristalsis: blueberries, strong tea, cottage cheese, crackers, rice. Raw vegetables and fruits should not be eaten. Antibiotics for intestinal infections caused by salmonella are usually fluoroquinolones (for example, Norfloxacin 0.4 g every 12 hours for 3-5 days or Ciprofloxacin 0.5 g every 12 hours for 3-5 days). For typhoid and paratyphoid fever - Ciprofloxacin 0.5 g every 12 hours for 10 days. For cholera - 1 g of Ciprofloxacin once or 0.3 g of Doxycycline once. It is inappropriate to give antibiotics for E. coli. For giardiasis, Metronidazole 0.25 mg every 8 hours for one week is indicated. Indications for antibiotic therapy in all cases are signs of inflammation in the stool: leukocytes, mucus, blood and high ESR in the blood test, fever. In other cases, antibiotics are not indicated. If cholera is suspected, antibiotic therapy is always needed.
Method of administration and dosage
For example, let's consider the drug Ofloxacin. Its maximum concentration in the blood is reached in 1-2 hours. It is found in the skin, bones, respiratory system, saliva, the half-life is 5-7 hours, most of it is excreted by the kidneys. Take with caution in case of cerebrovascular accidents. The tablets are taken whole, 200-800 mg per day (adult dose) for 7-10 days. For children - only for vital indications: 7.5 mg / kg. Intravenous drip administration is possible for 30 - 60 minutes at a dose of 200 mg.
Cefotaxime is classified as a cephalosporin. The half-life of the drug is 1 hour. 60% is excreted by the kidneys. It is effective against salmonella, shigella and clostridia. Side effects: headache, arrhythmia, blood picture disorders, kidney function, vomiting, flatulence, stomatitis. Cefotaxime should not be combined with other antibiotics in the same syringe. Adults are usually administered 1-2 g intravenously every 8-12 hours.
Use of antibiotics for intestinal infections during pregnancy
Antibiotics for intestinal infections are prescribed very rarely, when the possible risk of infection for the mother and fetus is greater than the risk of taking the drugs. The drugs of choice may be non-absorbable antibiotics, such as Alpha Normix. There are no systemic effects when taking it. The drug belongs to the rifamycin group. It is effective against shigella, salmonella, proteus, cholera, clostridia. It is taken 1 tablet every 8 hours. The course of treatment is 7 days. Amoxicillin and Ceftizine can also be prescribed to pregnant women. Amoxicillin should be taken 500 mg 3 times a day.
Contraindications to the use of antibiotics for intestinal infections
Antibiotics for intestinal infections of the fluoroquinolone group are not recommended for children under 2 years of age. They are also prescribed with caution in adolescence. This is due to their negative impact on the musculoskeletal system. They are not prescribed to pregnant women.
Azithromycin and other erythromycin-based medications are contraindicated for pregnant and nursing mothers. All antibiotics are prescribed with caution to patients with liver and kidney damage.
Side effects of antibiotics for intestinal infections
There are no antibiotics without side effects. They often cause allergies, and they have a negative effect on the blood, liver, and kidneys. Therefore, antibiotics for intestinal infections should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor! Only in this case can we talk about their safety, because the doctor is responsible for his prescriptions.
Overdose
Overdose of antibiotics for intestinal infections, in particular, Cefotaxime, is manifested by convulsions and encephalopathy, when taking Ofloxacin in large doses, dizziness, drowsiness, and lethargy are possible. Unfortunately, there is no antidote for antibiotics, treatment should be symptomatic and aimed at removing the drug by gastric lavage.
Storage conditions for antibiotics for intestinal infections
Antibiotics for intestinal infections are stored at room temperature. But there are exceptions. So read the instructions.
Antibiotics are not always prescribed for intestinal infections, only if the patient's condition is very severe, or if the pathogen poses a serious danger to others, for example, in the case of cholera.
Attention!
To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Antibiotics for intestinal infection" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.
Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.