What are the antibiotics used to treat Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)?

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Last updated: April 4, 2025 • View editorial policy

From the Guidelines

For uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), the most effective treatment options are nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) 100mg twice daily for 5 days, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) 160/800mg twice daily for 3 days, or fosfomycin (Monurol) as a single 3-gram dose, as recommended by the American College of Physicians in 2021 1.

Treatment Options

  • Nitrofurantoin: 100mg twice daily for 5 days
  • Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: 160/800mg twice daily for 3 days
  • Fosfomycin: single 3-gram dose These options are preferred due to their efficacy and minimal resistance rates, as noted in the 2011 guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 2.

Considerations

  • Fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, are typically reserved for complicated infections due to resistance concerns.
  • Treatment duration varies based on infection severity, with uncomplicated UTIs requiring 3-5 days and complicated infections needing 7-14 days.
  • Completing the full course of antibiotics is crucial to prevent recurrence and antibiotic resistance.
  • Drinking plenty of water helps flush bacteria from the urinary tract.
  • If symptoms worsen or don't improve after 48 hours of treatment, medical reassessment is necessary to determine the cause of the infection and adjust treatment accordingly.

Additional Guidance

The American College of Physicians recommends short-course antibiotics for uncomplicated UTIs, with the goal of minimizing antibiotic use and reducing resistance 1. In cases where the infecting strain is known to be susceptible, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole may be used, but local resistance rates should be considered, as noted in the 2011 guidelines 2. Overall, the choice of antibiotic should be based on the severity of the infection, patient factors, and local resistance patterns, with the goal of achieving the best possible outcome in terms of morbidity, mortality, and quality of life.

From the FDA Drug Label

Levofloxacin tablets are indicated for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections due to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Proteus mirabilis Levofloxacin tablets are indicated for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (mild to moderate) due to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Staphylococcus saprophyticus.

Levofloxacin is used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), including:

  • Complicated UTIs caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Proteus mirabilis
  • Uncomplicated UTIs (mild to moderate) caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Staphylococcus saprophyticus 3

From the Research

Antibiotics for UTI

  • The recommended first-line empiric antibiotic therapy for acute uncomplicated bacterial cystitis in otherwise healthy adult nonpregnant females is a 5-day course of nitrofurantoin, a 3-g single dose of fosfomycin tromethamine, or a 5-day course of pivmecillinam 4.
  • High rates of resistance for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin preclude their use as empiric treatment of UTIs in several communities, particularly if patients who were recently exposed to them or in patients who are at risk of infections with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing Enterobacteriales 4.
  • Second-line options include oral cephalosporins such as cephalexin or cefixime, fluoroquinolones and β-lactams, such as amoxicillin-clavulanate 4.
  • Current treatment options for UTIs due to AmpC- β -lactamase-producing Enterobacteriales include nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, pivmecillinam, fluoroquinolones, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems 4.

Treatment of Complicated UTI

  • Treatment oral options for UTIs due to ESBLs-E coli include nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, pivmecillinam, amoxicillin-clavulanate, finafloxacin, and sitafloxacin while pivmecillinam, fosfomycin, finafloxacin, and sitafloxacin are treatment oral options for ESBLs- Klebsiella pneumoniae 4.
  • Parenteral treatment options for UTIs due to ESBLs-producing Enterobacteriales include piperacillin-tazobactam (for ESBL-E coli only), carbapenems including meropenem/vaborbactam, imipenem/cilastatin-relebactam, and sulopenem, ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, aminoglycosides including plazomicin, cefiderocol, fosfomycin, sitafloxacin, and finafloxacin 4.
  • Ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem/vaborbactam, imipenem/cilastatin-relebactam, colistin, fosfomycin, aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam, aztreonam and amoxicillin-clavulanate, aminoglycosides including plazomicin, cefiderocol, tigecycline are treatment options for UTIs caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriales (CRE) 4.

Guideline-Based Treatment

  • The clinical practice guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and Fosfomycin as first-line antibiotic treatments and discourage the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotic agents 5.
  • Adequate antibiotic therapy is based on the stratification into complicated and uncomplicated, as well as upper and lower infections, and on specific risk factors (e.g., urinary tract catheter) that can be classified according to the ORENUC criteria 6.
  • The goal of prevention of recurrent cystitis is to minimize the use of antimicrobials and there are several research efforts in progress to develop effective and safe antimicrobial-sparing preventive approaches for this common condition 7.

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This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.