Ampicillin is a penicillin-type antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. Some of the infections that ampicillin is used to treat include:
- Meningitis (infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)
- Infections of the throat, sinuses, lungs, reproductive organs, urinary tract, and gastrointestinal tract
- Bladder infections, pneumonia, gonorrhea, meningitis, or infections of the stomach or intestines
- Chorioamnionitis (infection of the fetal membranes)
- Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB)
Ampicillin is usually taken orally, either half an hour before or two hours after meals, and is usually taken three to four times a day. The length of treatment depends on the type of infection that you have. It is important to take ampicillin exactly as directed by your doctor and to not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed. Ampicillin should only be used to treat infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria. Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases the risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.
