What is azithromycin most commonly used for?

Azithromycin is an antibiotic medication prescribed to treat different types of infections caused by bacteria. It isn’t effective against viral infections like a cold, flu, or COVID-19.

Azithromycin is available in several forms, including:

• an oral tablet
• a liquid that you swallow
• an intravenous (IV) solution that’s given in a healthcare setting

Azithromycin is a generic drug, and the brand-name version is Zithromax. You’ll need a prescription from a medical professional for azithromycin. It is not available as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug.

Read on to learn more about the types of infections azithromycin treats, as well as side effects and typical dosages for this drug.

What does azithromycin treat?

Azithromycin is prescribed to treat certain types of bacterial infections in adults and some children. The types of infections it’s used to treat in adults include the following:

• chest infections, like chronic bronchitis
• community-acquired pneumonia (pneumonia that develops outside of a hospital setting)
• sinus infections
• tonsillitis
• strep throat
• some types of skin infections
• urethral or cervical infection
• some STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and chancroid (for chancroid, azithromycin is approved for use in males)

Note: Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the term “male” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.

Azithromycin is approved to treat the following bacterial infections in children:

• ear infections in children ages 6 months and older
• sinus infections in children ages 6 months and older
• strep throat in children ages 2 years and older
• tonsillitis in children ages 2 years and older
• community-acquired pneumonia in children ages 6 months and older

Sometimes it’s hard to know if an infection is caused by bacteria or a virus because the symptoms can be similar. A medical professional will evaluate your symptoms and possibly run tests to understand the cause of an infection. Once they know the cause, they can prescribe the right treatment for you.

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Other possible uses

Azithromycin may also be used off-label for other bacterial infections. Off-label use is when doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved for. For instance, azithromycin may be prescribed to help treat:

• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
• traveler’s diarrhea
• whooping cough
• Legionnaires’ disease (a type of lung infection)
• infections caused by ticks, such as Lyme disease and babesiosis

Azithromycin may also be prescribed as a preventive treatment. Specifically, doctors may prescribe it to help prevent heart issues if you’re having dental treatment or some other kind of procedure.

How does azithromycin get rid of infections?

Azithromycin belongs to a group of drugs called macrolide antibiotics. This type of antibiotic works by killing the bacteria that cause the infection or preventing the bacteria from growing. The antibiotic drug does this by:

• attacking the outer wall of the bacteria
• interfering with how the bacteria reproduces
• stopping the bacteria from producing proteins it needs to live and grow

Azithromycin is an antibiotic drug, so it isn’t effective at treating viral infections, like a cold, flu, or COVID-19. It also isn’t effective for fungal infections, like a yeast infection or athlete’s foot.

Taking antibiotics like azithromycin when they’re not needed can increase your risk of developing antibiotic resistance. This means antibiotics may not work for you if you develop a viral infection in the future.

What are the side effects of azithromycin?

Side effects can vary from person to person. It’s possible that azithromycin may cause more side effects than those listed here. However, the most common side effects of azithromycin oral tablet include:

• diarrhea
• nausea
• stomach pain
• vomiting

In most cases, the side effects of azithromycin are temporary. Tell your doctor if you have side effects that don’t go away or become hard to manage. Do not stop taking azithromycin without first talking with your doctor. This could cause your infection to get worse or possibly come back again.

Although rare, azithromycin may cause more serious side effects in some people, such as:

• liver damage
• heart rhythm issues
• Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection
• severe allergic reaction
• infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) (in infants 42 days and younger)

Before you start taking azithromycin, make sure your doctor knows about any medications you take and any health conditions you have. This can help reduce the risk of serious side effects.

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What is the typical azithromycin dosage?

For the oral tablet, azithromycin comes in the following strengths:

• 250 milligrams (mg)
• 500 mg
• 600 mg

The dosage of azithromycin oral tablet for adults will depend on the type of infection you have. The oral forms of azithromycin are typically taken for 1 to 5 days, either with or without food.

The dosage of azithromycin for a child depends on the child’s weight and the condition azithromycin is being used to treat. Depending on the type of infection they have, a child will typically need to take azithromycin for 1 to 5 days.

To learn more about the dosage of azithromycin tablet for adults or children, check out this azithromycin dosage article.

Summary

Azithromycin is an antibiotic medication that’s prescribed to treat bacterial infections of the lungs, throat, ear, sinuses, and skin. It can also be used to treat some types of STIs. 

Doctors may prescribe azithromycin for certain children to help treat ear, throat, sinus, and lung infections that are caused by bacteria. 

Azithromycin is an antibiotic drug, so it isn’t effective at treating viral infections like the common cold or flu. 

If you have questions about azithromycin’s uses, side effects, or dosage, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.