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DOSAGE
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Conjunctivitis: 1 cm strip in conjunctival sac up to 6x/day
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Ophthalmia neonatorum: 0.5 to 1 cm strip in conjunctival sac once at birth following delivery
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INDICATIONS
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For the treatment of superficial ocular infections involving the conjunctiva and/or cornea caused by organisms susceptible to erythromycin.
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For prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum due to N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis. The effectiveness of erythromycin in the prevention of ophthalmia caused by penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae is not established.
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For infants born to mothers with clinically apparent gonorrhea, intravenous or intramuscular injections of aqueous crystalline penicillin G should be given; a single dose of 50,000 units for term infants or 20,000 units for infants of low birth weight. Topical prophylaxis alone is inadequate for these infants.
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MECHANISM OF ACTION
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Macrolide Blocks bacterial protein synthesis. Broad spectrum similar to penicillin
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MICROBIOLOGY
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Erythromycin inhibits protein synthesis without affecting nucleic acid synthesis. Erythromycin is usually active against the following organisms in vitro and in clinical infections: Streptococcus pyogenes (group A β-hemolytic), Alpha-hemolytic streptococci (viridans group); Staphylococcus aureus, including penicillinase-producing strains (methicillin-resistant staphylococci are uniformly resistant to erythromycin); Streptococcus pneumoniae; Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Eaton Agent, PPLO); Haemophilus influenzae (not all strains of this organism are susceptible at the erythromycin concentrations ordinarily achieved); Treponema pallidum; Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Chlamydia trachomatis.
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CONTRAINDICATIONS & WARNINGS
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This drug is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to erythromycin.
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PEDIATRIC USE
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See INDICATIONS AND USAGE and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION for neonatal use
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PREGNANCY
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Pregnancy Category B. Reproduction studies have been performed in rats, mice, and rabbits using erythromycin and its various salts and esters, at doses that were several multiples of the usual human dose. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women
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