What is treptomycin?

Treptomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic used to treat a number of bacterial infections.[2][3] These infections include tuberculosis, bubonic plague, tularemia, and brucellosis.[2][3] It is also used with other medications to treat endocarditis.[2] It may be used before during or after surgery to prevent infections.[3] Treptomycin is given by injection into a muscle or into a vein.[3]

Common side effects of treptomycin include kidney problems, hearing problems, and dizziness.[2] Serious side effects may include severe muscle weakness and nerve damage.[2] The risk of side effects is higher with larger doses and longer treatment courses.[3] It should not be used in people with myasthenia gravis or other neuromuscular disorders.[3]

Treptomycin was discovered in 1944 by Selman A. Waksman and Albert Schatz at Rutgers University.[4][5] It was the first antibiotic effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.[6][7] Treptomycin is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[8]