ATC J — Anti-infectives for systemic use

Doxycycline is an oral and parenteral tetracycline antibiotic used in adults and adolescents for skin, respiratory, sexually transmitted, tick-borne and selected travel-related infections, with broad activity and convenient once or twice-daily dosing.

Amoxicillin is an oral aminopenicillin antibiotic used in adults and children for respiratory, urinary, dental and otologic bacterial infections. It inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis and is widely available as a first-line option in many indications.

Clavulanate is a beta-lactamase inhibitor combined with amoxicillin or ticarcillin to extend the activity of these antibiotics against beta-lactamase-producing bacteria. It has minimal intrinsic antibacterial activity but protects the partner antibiotic.

Azithromycin is an oral and parenteral macrolide antibiotic used in adults and children for respiratory, skin and selected sexually transmitted bacterial infections. It has a long tissue half-life that supports short or single-dose courses.

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used in adults for selected urinary, gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin infections. It carries boxed warnings for tendon, nerve and central nervous system effects and should be used only when alternatives are not appropriate.

Fluconazole is an oral and parenteral triazole antifungal used in adults and children for vulvovaginal and oropharyngeal candidiasis, candidaemia, cryptococcal meningitis and prophylaxis in immunocompromised hosts. It is part of the World Health Organization List of Essential Medicines.

Acyclovir is an oral, topical and parenteral nucleoside antiviral used in adults and children for herpes simplex and varicella-zoster infections. It is part of the World Health Organization List of Essential Medicines and remains a foundation of antiviral therapy.

Valacyclovir is an oral nucleoside antiviral prodrug of acyclovir used in adults for herpes simplex, varicella-zoster and cytomegalovirus infections. Its higher oral bioavailability allows less frequent dosing than acyclovir.

Oseltamivir is an oral neuraminidase inhibitor used in adults and children for the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza A and B. It is most effective when started early in symptomatic infection and is part of pandemic preparedness stockpiles.