Trimethoprim sulfa is a broad spectrum antibiotic with excellent activity against most gram negative organisms and against Staphylococci in the skin. This makes trimethoprim sulfa a good choice for skin infections or as a general antibiotic when the actual identity of the infecting organism is not known. Trimethoprim sulfa is not generally effective against Pseudomonas auruginosa. Another advantage of trimethoprim sulfa is that it has minimal effect on the normal flora of the GI tract of the patient. This means less potential for antibiotic induced diarrheas and less resistant bacteria in the home.
Trimethoprim sulfa is given twice a day.
It is of relatively low cost compared to other antibiotics which makes it a popular choice. Although side effects of trimethoprim sulfa are rare, they do have some potential for seriousness so it is a good idea to become familiar with what to look for. The following are syndromes that can occur in certain individuals taking trimethoprim sulfa. This includes arthritis, fever, muscle soreness, and even kidney inflammation, and even inflammation in the eye. This syndrome has been formally studied and has been found to occur almost exclusively after a previous uneventful exposure to trimethoprim sulfa and occurs 8-20 days after therapy has started.