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A 21-year-old member asked:

Can antibiotics damage organs?

3 doctor answers5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kevin Daus
Obstetrics and Gynecology 39 years experience
Yes: One antibiotic in particular, gentamycin can harm the kidney.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. David Wishnew
Wound care 44 years experience
Antibiotics: Certain antibiotics can cause unexpected organ damage. A good example is in some of the more potent antibiotics that kill a significant number of normal colon flora. This leads to overgrowth of clostridial bacteria, producing an exotoxin that leads to c. Difficile colitis., with abdominal pain and diarrhea. This can become so bad that it may require total colon removal or fecal transplant.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. John Leander Po
Infectious Disease 20 years experience
Good question..: Here are some examples of organ damage and their association to antibiotics- nafcillin - kidneys vancomycin- kidneys, hearing, platelets levofloxacin- tendon gentamicin- vestibular system (balance), hearing, kidneys ceftriaxone- biliary system ethambutol- eyes isoniazid- liver.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

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Last updated Jan 20, 2013
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