Receive Updates
Outpatient Tetracycline Use
One of the oldest antibiotic classes may be in for a comeback
BACKGROUND
Tetracyclines are mostly broad-spectrum bacteriostatic antibiotics that act by inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial proteins. They were one of the earliest antibiotic classes to be developed and also one of the cheapest to manufacture. Despite initially showing excellent activity against a variety of bacteria and other microorganisms, use of tetracyclines has been limited by the spread of resistance. Currently, their main application is as first-line agents for acne, rosacea, and chlamydia, as well as for prophylaxis against malaria. In industrial farming, tetracyclines are widely dispensed in subtherapeutic doses as an animal growth promoter.
Of note, one of the newest antibiotics to be approved in the past decade – tigecycline – is a tetracycline derivative showing great potential for the treatment of MRSA, MDR A. baumannii, and NDM-1 producers. Research is needed to understand the mechanisms of tetracycline resistance and prolong the useful life of this drug.
A REGIONAL PICTURE OF ANTIBIOTIC CONSUMPTION
