Azithromycin is an antibiotic medicine that is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. It belongs to a group of medicines called macrolide antibiotics, which work by killing the bacteria that cause the infection. Some of the infections that azithromycin is used to treat include:
- Chest infections such as pneumonia
- Ear, nose, and throat infections such as sinusitis
- Skin infections
- Lyme disease
- Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection, which is a type of lung infection that often affects people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Azithromycin can also be used long-term to prevent chest infections in people who keep getting them. It is available on prescription as capsules, tablets, and a liquid that you swallow. The most common side effects of azithromycin are feeling or being sick, diarrhea, headaches, or changes to your sense of taste. It is important to finish the full course of medicine, even if you start feeling better within a few days. Azithromycin should not be used for viral infections such as the common cold or flu, as antibiotics do not work for these types of infections.
