Which antibiotic class is commonly used to treat pertussis?

Which antibiotic class is commonly used to treat pertussis?

• A. Macrolide
• B. Penicillin
• C. Tetracycline
• D. Aminoglycoside

Answer: (A)

Macrolides are the drug of choice for pertussis. They effectively target Bordetella pertussis by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis through binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit, which slows bacterial growth and helps reduce contagiousness. This makes macrolides useful for treating the infection and lowering transmission to contacts, especially when given early in the illness. Examples like azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin are commonly used. While antibiotics can shorten the infectious period and may ease symptoms if started early, they don’t drastically shorten the late stages of the cough. Penicillins are not reliably effective against pertussis, tetracyclines are avoided in young children and pregnant women, and aminoglycosides are not appropriate due to limited activity against this organism and potential toxicity.

Macrolides are the drug of choice for pertussis. They effectively target Bordetella pertussis by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis through binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit, which slows bacterial growth and helps reduce contagiousness. This makes macrolides useful for treating the infection and lowering transmission to contacts, especially when given early in the illness. Examples like azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin are commonly used. While antibiotics can shorten the infectious period and may ease symptoms if started early, they don’t drastically shorten the late stages of the cough. Penicillins are not reliably effective against pertussis, tetracyclines are avoided in young children and pregnant women, and aminoglycosides are not appropriate due to limited activity against this organism and potential toxicity.