A macrolide class antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections. It can be taken by mouth as a pill or liquid.
(Diseases to treat)
• strep throat
• pneumonia
• skin infections
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Lyme disease
• cat scratch disease
• bartonellosis
• cryptosporidiosis
• toxoplasmosis
(Side effects)
• nausea, vomiting
• diarrhea
• headaches
• severe allergic reactions
• liver problems
It may cause harm if taken during pregnancy.
Levofloxacin can be used for the treatment of clarithromycin-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori.
Clarithromycin prevents bacteria from multiplying by acting as a protein synthesis inhibitor. It binds to 23S rRNA (50S subunit) of the bacterial ribosome, thus inhibiting the translation of peptides.
Resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin in Helicobacter pylori is mainly mediated by mutations in a specific domain of the 23S rRNA, gyrA and gyrB genes for clarithromycin and levofloxacin respectively.
