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Generic Name: bacitracin (injection) (BAS i TRAY sin)
Brand Names: Baci-IM

What is bacitracin?

Bacitracin injection is an antibiotic that treats staph infection caused by a bacteria called staphylococcus (STAF-il-oh-KOK-us).

Bacitracin injection is used in infants to treat pneumonia. It is also used to treat an infection that causes pus to build up between the lungs and the membrane that covers them.

Bacitracin injection may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about bacitracin injection?

Before your child receives bacitracin injection, tell the doctor if the child has a history of kidney disease.

Many other drugs can damage the kidneys and should not be used together with bacitracin. Tell your doctor if your child is receiving chemotherapy, medicines used to treat a bowel disorder, medications to prevent organ transplant rejection, antiviral medications, or any other injected antibiotics.

Get emergency medical help if your child has any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Serious side effects of bacitracin injection include urinating less than usual or not at all, blood in the urine, lower back pain, or painful urination.

Make sure your child receives this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by the doctor. Your child's symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Bacitracin injection will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving bacitracin injection?

Your child should not receive this medication if he or she is allergic to bacitracin.

Before receiving bacitracin injection, tell your child's doctor if the child is allergic to any drugs, or if your child has a history of kidney disease. If your child has either of these conditions, he or she may not be able to receive bacitracin, or may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

How is bacitracin injection given?

This medication is given as an injection into a muscle. A doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give your child this injection.

Lung infections in infants are serious conditions, and your child will most likely be kept in the hospital while being treated with bacitracin injection.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your child's kidney function may need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Make sure your child receives this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by the doctor. Your child's symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Bacitracin injection will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since bacitracin injection is usually given in a hospital, it is not likely your child will miss a dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Tell your child's caregivers right away if you think the child has received too much of this medicine.

What should I avoid while receiving bacitracin injection?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while your child is receiving bacitracin injection.

Bacitracin injection side effects

Get emergency medical help if your child has any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat. While receiving bacitracin injection, your child will be watched for the following serious side effects:

• urinating more than usual or more often;

• urinating less than usual, or not at all (fewer wet diapers);

• blood in the urine;

• lower back pain; or

• painful urination.

Less serious side effects include:

• nausea, vomiting;

• mild skin rash; or

• pain, burning, or swelling where the medicine was injected.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effects.

What other drugs will affect bacitracin injection?

Before your child receives bacitracin, tell the doctor if your child is receiving any of the following drugs:

• cancer medications (chemotherapy);

• medicines used to treat a bowel disorder, such as mesalamine (Pentasa) or sulfasalazine (Azulfidine);

• medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, such as sirolimus (Rapamune) or tacrolimus (Prograf);

• any other injected antibiotics such as amikacin (Amikin), amphotericin B (Fungizone, AmBisome, Amphotec, Abelcet), or streptomycin; or

• antiviral medicines such as adefovir (Hepsera), cidofovir (Vistide), or foscarnet (Foscavir).

Many of these other drugs can damage the kidneys. If your child is receiving any of these drugs, he or she may not be able to receive bacitracin, or may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs that can affect bacitracin injection. Tell your doctor about all your child's prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your child's doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about bacitracin injection.

• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If your child has questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.01. Revision Date: 07/26/2007 9:56:35 AM.