An endobacterial bladder infection refers to inflammation and irritation of the inner lining of the bladder due to a bacterial infection. Several organisms can cause bladder infections with the most prevalent being Escherichia coli. Symptoms of bladder infection include painful urination, urinary frequency, nausea and fever. These symptoms require medical evaluation. A urine specimen ensures selection of the correct antibiotic for the endobacterial bladder infection.
Sulfonamides
Sulfonamides have been an effective drug choice to treat bladder infections for a long time. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains many organisms are now resistant to sulfonamides alone or in combination with the antibiotic trimethoprim. Sulfonamides and their counterparts trimethoprim frequently cause nausea, vomiting and rash. Billie Ann Wilson, PhD., Margaret Shannon, PhD., and Kelly Shields PharmD., authors of "Pearson Nurse's Drug Guide 2010" warn the potential for severe allergic reaction exists and patients with a history of sensitivity to sulfa based medications should not take sulfonamides.
Cephalasporins
Cephalasporin antibiotics work against many bacteria and are used to treat endobacterial bladder infections that do not respond to first line traditional antibiotics. Physicians frequently prescribe cephalexin, cephadroxil and cefixime to treat bladder infections. Cephalasporins may be used if patients have a sensitivity to another agent such as a sulfa based drug. However, cephalasporins have chemical properties similar to penicillins; therefore patients should watch out for the presence of allergies to either cephalasporins or penicillins.
Nitrofurantoin
This antibiotic acts specifically on microorganisms in the urinary tract. Used to treat bladder and kidney infections, nitrofurantoin requires a minimum 7-day course and frequently causes gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Nitrofurantoin can also discolor the urine turning it dark yellow or brown. Patients should be forewarned about this temporary side effect. Because nitrofurantoin has the potential to cause several severe side effects it is only used to treat specific microorganisms when other agents will not do.
Quinolones
Quinolones are a group of antibiotics effective against many bacteria and physicians prescribe this class of antibiotic when the infecting organism shows resistance to sulfonamides. Patients taking quinolones such as ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin should drink at least two to three liters of water daily. The prescribed course ranges from seven to 10 days and patients should finish the entire course of antibiotic therapy to prevent recurrence of the endobacterial bladder infection.
Intravenous Antibiotics
In some cases endobacterial bladder infections become severe, especially when the infecting organism demonstrates resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, and cause systemic or whole body illness. These infections require intravenous antibiotic administration. The most common class of antibiotics for these types of infections are aminoglycosides. For example, patients commonly receive gentamicin sulfate in the hospital setting under close supervision because of the potential for severe drug reactions.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Urinary Tract Infection-Medications
- "Pearson Nurse's Drug Guide 2010"; Wilson, B. A., Shannon, T. M., & Shields, K. M.; 2010
