WHO Antibiotics Portal

Aminoglycosides

Antibiotic

Amikacin

Indications

First choice
Neutropenia (high-risk) cefotaxime Inflammatory and other diseases of prostate (severe) ceftriaxone Acute pyelonephritis (severe)

Second choice
cloxacillin Sepsis without septic shock [children]

Antibiotic

Gentamicin

Indications

First choice
amoxicillin Sepsis without septic shock [children] ampicillin Sepsis without septic shock [children] benzylpenicillin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] benzylpenicillin Sepsis without septic shock [children] benzylpenicillin Acute malnutrition in infants, children or adolescents (complicated) [children] benzylpenicillin Sepsis without septic shock [children]

Second choice
Gonococcal infection

Antibiotic

Kanamycin

Indications

Antibiotic

Streptomycin

Indications
Beta-lactamase resistant penicillins

Antibiotic

Cloxacillin

Indications

First choice
Osteomyelitis or osteitis Bacterial cellulitis, erysipelas and lymphangitis Bacterial infection of joint

Second choice
amikacin Sepsis without septic shock [children]
Beta-lactamase sensitive penicillins

Antibiotic

Benzathine benzylpenicillin

Indications

First choice
Syphilis Congenital syphilis [children]

Antibiotic

Benzylpenicillin

Indications

First choice
Congenital syphilis [children] Syphilis gentamicin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] gentamicin Sepsis without septic shock [children] gentamicin Acute malnutrition in infants, children or adolescents (complicated) [children] gentamicin Sepsis without septic shock [children]

Second choice
Bacterial meningitis

Antibiotic

Phenoxymethylpenicillin

Indications

First choice
Bacterial pneumonia (Mild to moderate) Acute pharyngitis

Antibiotic

Procaine benzylpenicillin

Indications

First choice
Congenital syphilis [children]

Second choice
Syphilis
Others

Antibiotic

Capreomycin

Indications

Antibiotic

Cefalexin

Indications

Second choice
Acute pharyngitis Bacterial cellulitis, erysipelas and lymphangitis Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation

Antibiotic

Cefazolin

Indications

Second choice
Osteomyelitis or osteitis Bacterial infection of joint

Antibiotic

Chloramphenicol

Indications

Second choice
Bacterial meningitis

Antibiotic

Clindamycin

Indications

Second choice
Osteomyelitis or osteitis Bacterial infection of joint

Antibiotic

Cycloserine

Indications

Antibiotic

Ethambutol

Indications

Antibiotic

Ethambutol + isoniazid

Indications

Antibiotic

Ethambutol + isoniazid + pyrazinamide + rifampicin

Indications

Antibiotic

Ethambutol + isoniazid + rifampicin

Indications

Antibiotic

Ethionamide

Indications

Antibiotic

Isoniazid

Indications

Antibiotic

Isoniazid + pyrazinamide + rifampicin

Indications

Antibiotic

Isoniazid + rifampicin

Indications

Antibiotic

Metronidazole

Indications

First choice
Trichomoniasis Enterocolitis due to Clostridium difficile

Second choice
ciprofloxacin Peritoneal abscess (mild-moderate) ciprofloxacin Peritonitis (mild-moderate)

Antibiotic

Nitrofurantoin

Indications

First choice
Infectious cystitis

Antibiotic

Pyrazinamide

Indications

Antibiotic

Rifabutin

Indications

Antibiotic

Rifampicin

Indications

Antibiotic

Rifapentine

Indications

Antibiotic

Spectinomycin

Indications

Second choice
Gonococcal infection

Antibiotic

Sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim

Indications

First choice
Infectious cystitis

Second choice
Gastroenteritis and colitis without specification of infectious agent
Penicillins with extended spectrum

Antibiotic

Amoxicillin

Indications

First choice
Acute pharyngitis Acute sinusitis Bacterial pneumonia (Mild to moderate) Infectious cystitis Acute otitis media Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation Acute malnutrition in infants, children or adolescents (uncomplicated) [children] Acute malnutrition in infants, children or adolescents (complicated) [children] gentamicin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] gentamicin Sepsis without septic shock [children] gentamicin Sepsis without septic shock [children]

Second choice
Bacterial meningitis

Antibiotic

Amoxicillin + clavulanic acid

Indications

First choice
Neutropenia (low-risk) Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] Other specified pneumonia Peritoneal abscess (mild-moderate) Peritonitis (mild-moderate) Acute sinusitis Infectious cystitis Bacterial cellulitis, erysipelas and lymphangitis Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation

Second choice
Bacterial pneumonia (Mild to moderate) Osteomyelitis or osteitis Acute otitis media Bacterial infection of joint clarithromycin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe)

Antibiotic

Ampicillin

Indications

First choice
gentamicin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] gentamicin Sepsis without septic shock [children] gentamicin Acute malnutrition in infants, children or adolescents (complicated) [children] gentamicin Sepsis without septic shock [children]

Second choice
Bacterial meningitis
Tetracyclines

Antibiotic

Doxycycline

Indications

First choice
Chlamydia trachomatis Cholera

Second choice
Cholera [children] Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation Bacterial pneumonia (Mild to moderate)
3rd-generation cephalosporins (with or without beta-lactamase inhibitor)

Antibiotic

Cefixime
WATCH group

Indications

Second choice
Gastroenteritis and colitis without specification of infectious agent azithromycin Gonococcal infection azithromycin Gonococcal infection

Antibiotic

Cefotaxime
WATCH group

Indications

First choice
Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] Other specified pneumonia Bacterial meningitis amikacin Acute pyelonephritis (severe) amikacin Inflammatory and other diseases of prostate (severe) clarithromycin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) metronidazole Peritoneal abscess (severe) metronidazole Peritoneal abscess (mild-moderate) metronidazole Peritonitis (severe) metronidazole Peritonitis (mild-moderate)

Second choice
Inflammatory and other diseases of prostate (mild to moderate) Acute pyelonephritis (mild to moderate) Osteomyelitis or osteitis Bacterial infection of joint Sepsis without septic shock [children]

Antibiotic

Ceftazidime
WATCH group

Indications

Antibiotic

Ceftriaxone
WATCH group

Indications

First choice
Bacterial meningitis Other specified pneumonia Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) [children] amikacin Inflammatory and other diseases of prostate (severe) amikacin Acute pyelonephritis (severe) azithromycin Gonococcal infection azithromycin Gonococcal infection clarithromycin Bacterial pneumonia (Severe) metronidazole Peritoneal abscess (severe) metronidazole Peritoneal abscess (mild-moderate) metronidazole Peritonitis (severe) metronidazole Peritonitis (mild-moderate)

Second choice
Inflammatory and other diseases of prostate (mild to moderate) Acute pyelonephritis (mild to moderate) Sepsis without septic shock [children] Osteomyelitis or osteitis Bacterial infection of joint Gastroenteritis and colitis without specification of infectious agent
Anti-pseudomonal penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitor

Antibiotic

Piperacillin + tazobactam
WATCH group

Indications

First choice
Peritoneal abscess (severe) Neutropenia (high-risk) Peritonitis (severe) Other specified pneumonia
Carbapenems and penems

Antibiotic

Meropenem
WATCH group

Indications

Second choice
Peritoneal abscess (severe) Neutropenia (high-risk) Peritonitis (severe) Neonatal meningitis
Glycopeptides

Antibiotic

Vancomycin
WATCH group

Indications

Second choice
Neutropenia (high-risk) Enterocolitis due to Clostridium difficile
Macrolides

Antibiotic

Azithromycin
WATCH group

Indications

First choice
Chlamydia trachomatis Cholera ceftriaxone Gonococcal infection ceftriaxone Gonococcal infection

Second choice
Gastroenteritis and colitis without specification of infectious agent cefixime Gonococcal infection

Antibiotic

Clarithromycin
WATCH group

Indications

First choice
ceftriaxone Bacterial pneumonia (Severe)

Second choice
Acute pharyngitis
Quinolones and fluoroquinolones

Antibiotic

Ciprofloxacin
WATCH group

Indications

First choice
Acute pyelonephritis (mild to moderate) Neutropenia (low-risk) Inflammatory and other diseases of prostate (mild to moderate) Gastroenteritis and colitis without specification of infectious agent

Second choice
Cholera metronidazole Peritoneal abscess (mild-moderate) metronidazole Peritonitis (mild-moderate)

Antibiotic

Levofloxacin
WATCH group

Indications
4th generation cephalosporins

Antibiotic

Cefepime
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Fourth generation cephalosporins
RESERVE group

Indications
5th generation cephalosporins

Antibiotic

Ceftaroline
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Fifth generation cephalosporins
RESERVE group

Indications
Others (RESERVE group)

Antibiotic

Aztreonam
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Daptomycin
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Fosfomycin
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Tigecycline
RESERVE group

Indications
Oxazolidinones

Antibiotic

Linezolid
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Oxazolindinones
RESERVE group

Indications
Polymyxins

Antibiotic

Colistin
RESERVE group

Indications

Antibiotic

Polymyxins
RESERVE group

Indications