Gentamicin is a wide-spectrum antibiotic of the aminoglycoside family, which can pass through the cell wall of the bacterium through a specific cytoplasmic protein and reach the environment. Once inside the bacterial cell, it has the ability to affect the entire protein synthesis and thus metabolic activity and structure of the bacterium.
What is Gentamicin?
Gentamicin is used in the treatment of neonatal sepsis, septicemia and severe infections sustained by gram negative bacteria such as staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and enterobacteriaceae (Klebsiella and Serratia is particularly active). It is also used in the treatment and prophylaxis of endocarditis from streptococci, enterococci and staphylococci. The wording in the ointment is used for the treatment of infectious skin disease or in cases with high risk of infection.
How should Gentamicin be taken?
Gentamicin is sold in tablet form for oral use, or in the form of a solution for intramuscular and intravenous injections as well as ointment form for topical use.
Side effects associated with Gentamicin
Like all aminoglycoside antibiotics, gentamicin may cause irreversible ototoxicity (acoustic nerve lesion) primarily due to systemic treatment: it is therefore appropriate to pay particular attention to the administration of gentamicin in patients with auditory-vestibular disorders. The gentamicin may also be toxic to the kidneys: it is therefore recommended that particular caution in patients with renal and skeletal muscle be taken. Antibiotics should always be used by prescription and after strictly following your doctor's instructions with regard to dosage and mode of administration. Not doing so may reduce the absorption of the medication or render the treatment useless, or even stimulate the development of the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance.
Contraindications and warnings associated with the use of Gentamicin
Recent studies have highlighted that gentamicin causes ototoxicity on the auditory system of the fetus: which is why the use of this drug is generally contraindicated during pregnancy and it is not recommended even in the subsequent period of breastfeeding.
