Common Antibiotic Regimens for Adults

Antibiotic regimens vary by country, reflecting local epidemiology, resistance patterns, and antibiotic availability.

The following are Israeli guidelines for the treatment of common bacterial infections, including generic and commonly used brand names. This is not a comprehensive guide on when to initiate antibiotics, but rather a quick reference to the standard first-line agents commonly used in typical clinical scenarios.

This content is based on a 2025 Clalit guide, authored by my colleagues Dr Lee Efrat Meulam, Dr Dmitri Beylin, and Dr Inbal Fuchs, whose work I’m grateful to share.

Download the full guide here:

Clalit Infectious Disease Guide

Cellulitis

① 1st line:

→ Cefalexin (Cefovit) 1g X 3/day or 500mg X 4/day for 5-7 days

② If resistant, cover MRSA:

→ Doxycycline (Doxy or Doxylin) 100mg X 2/day for 5 days OR

→ Trimethoprim Sulfa (Diseptyl forte) 960mg X 2/day for 5-7 days

③ Allergy/contraindications:

→ Clindamycin (Dalacin) 300mg X 4/day for 5-7 days

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Animal Bites

① Tetanus jab if unvaccinated or > 5 years since last dose

② Prophylactic antibiotics

→ indicated if immunosuppressed, asplenia, advanced liver disease, edema at bite site, face, hand or cartilage involvement, deep bite or cat bite

→ Augmentin 875mg X 2/day for 5 days

③ Allergy/contraindications:

→ Clindamycin (Dalacin) 300mg X 4/day AND Ciprofloxacin (Cipro or Ciprodex) 500mg X 2/day for 5 days

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Tonsilitis / GAS Pharyngitis

① 1st line:

→ Amoxicillin (Moxypen or Moxyvit) 500mg X 2/day OR

→ Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Pen Rafa VK) 500mg X2/day for 10 days

② Allergy/contraindications:

→ Cefalexin (Cefovit) 500mg X 2/day for 10 days OR

→ Roxithromycin (Roxo) 150mg X 2/day for 10 days OR

→ Clindamycin (Dalacin) 300mg X 3/day for 10 days

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Pneumonia

① Simple cases in uncomplicated patients:

→ Amoxicillin (Moxypen or Moxyvit) 1000mg X 3/day for 5 days

② Allergy/contraindications:

→ Doxycycline (Doxy or Doxylin) 100mg X 2/day for 5 days OR

→ Azithromycin (Azenil) 500mg/day (day 1), 250mg/day (days 2-5)

③ Complex patients with chronic illnesses:

→ Augmentin 875mg X 2/day AND Macrolide / Doxycycline OR

→ Cefuroxime (Zinnat) 500mg X 2/day AND Macrolide / Doxycycline OR

→ Levofloxacin (Tavanic or Levo) 750mg X 1/day

ⓘ Macrolide options:

→ Azithromycin (Azenil) 500mg/day (day 1), 250mg/day (days 2-5)

→ Roxithromycin (Roxo) 150mg X 2/day

→ Clarithromycin (Karin) 500mg X 2/day

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Sinusitis

① 1st line:

→ Amoxicillin (Moxypen or Moxyvit) 500-1000mg X 3/day for 5-7 days

② 2nd line:

→ Augmentin 875mg X 2/day for 5-7 days

③ Allergy/contraindications:

→ Doxycycline (Doxy or Doxylin) 100mg X 2/day for 5-7 days OR

→ Cefuroxime (Zinnat) 500mg X 2/day for 5-7 days

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Lower UTI

WOMEN

① 1st line:

→ Nitrofurantoin SR (Macrobid) 100mg X 2/day for 5 days

② 2nd line / alternative options:

→ Fosfomycin (Monurol) 3g sachet once only OR

→ Trimethoprim Sulfa (Diseptyl forte) 960mg X 2/day for 3-5 days OR

→ Cefuroxime (Zinnat) 250mg X 2/day for 5-7 days

MEN

① Unlikely UTI, empirical treatment until culture returns:

→ Ciprofloxacin 500mg X 2/day

Do you have any other infectious diseases or clinical scenarios that you'd like to see covered? Let us know!