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Tetracycline Uses
Tetracycline is most commonly used for the treatment of bacterial infections. A few of the bacterial infections that tetracycline may be used to treat include pink eye, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and urinary tract infections. The antibiotic is also used to treat moderate to severe acne and Helicobacter pylori infections. Tetracycline should not be prescribed to children less than eight years of age. There are no universally recognized off-label tetracycline uses.
Tetracycline (sold as generic Tetracycline tablets or capsules, or under a variety of brand names, including Sumycin®, Achromycin®, and Wesmycin®) is a prescription antibiotic licensed to treat a number of infections. Some of these tetracycline uses include:
- Treatment of bacterial infections
- Acne treatment
- Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections.
Bacterial Infections
Tetracycline is most commonly used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Some of these infections include:
- Lyme disease
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Typhus fever
- Tick fever
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Chlamydia
- Certain types of pneumonia and other respiratory infections
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Plague
- Cholera
- Skin infections.
In people who are allergic to penicillin, tetracycline may be used in place of penicillin to treat common infections, such as:
Tetracycline is also used to treat a number of other more uncommon bacterial infections.
Tetracycline is not effective against any infection caused by a virus, such as the flu, stomach flu, or common cold.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD