Cefazolin (aka cephazolin) is the generic name of an antibiotic used for skin infections. Its special formula makes it excellent in the fight against various gram-positive bacteria, such as different streptococci and staphylococci. As such, it is the preferred solution in many bacterial infections affecting our skin.
In a normal scenario, bacteria are present in the tissues of the skin; however, this presence is continually kept safe by our immune system. If, by any chance, the number of bacteria exceeds the normal limits (this may vary from one bacteria and organism to another) or if we get other bacteria from the environment, infections occur. If our immune system can’t fight it, we must.
During infections, our immune system’s way to cope with foreign bodies present in our skin is through diverse adaptive techniques, such as inflammation or fever. To a certain extent, it is imperative that we let our immune system take care of the problem (as we do with pimples), because this is one of its major functions. If, by any chance, the infection gets out of control (it’s often the case of streptococci and staphylococci), we need special medication to trigger the infection.
Cefazolin is such a drug; it can fight most of the skin infections in humans, although some bacteria develop resistance to Cefazolin. If this is the case, your doctor will prescribe you a different antibiotic. Here are the most important advantages of this antibiotic:
- It’s very well tolerated by the body (as opposed to most of cephalosporins);
- It doesn’t develop as many side effects as other antibiotics. Even so, it is sometimes prone to affect the digestive system (upset stomach, diarrhea, even vomiting) and the skin.
- Its IV or IM administration form ensures better and faster absorption, thus reducing certain risks related to the digestive tract.
- Its renal excretion keeps your liver safe (this is important if you suffer from low hepatic function and you still need an antibiotic for your skin infection).