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Doxycycline and Urinary Tract Infections

A urinary tract infection is commonly caused by bacteria present in your urethra (the opening that urine escapes through), your bladder or your ureters (the tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder). Doctors commonly treat some types of urinary tract infections with the prescription medication doxycycline.

  1. Identification

    • Doxycycline is an antibiotic drug that is effective against urinary tract infections caused by the Klebsiella strain of bacteria, reports RxList. Your doctor identifies the type of bacteria responsible for your infection by examining the bacteria in a urine sample under a microscope or through urinalysis testing.

    Function

    • Doxycycline works by preventing the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections from producing proteins that are necessary for the cells to multiply and survive.

    Time Frame

    • Your doctor is likely to prescribe doxycycline for use two times per day for at least 10 days for the treatment of a urinary tract infection, reports RxList.

    Risks

    • Common side effects of doxycycline include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Doxycycline poses a risk for severe or bloody diarrhea and subsequent dehydration, permanent yellowing of your teeth and skin photosensitivity that results in severe sunburns.

    Considerations

    • Because the drug poses a risk for fetal harm, doctors rarely prescribe doxycycline to treat urinary tract infections in pregnant women. If you have a history of yeast infections or kidney problems, it may not be safe for you to take doxycycline, warns the Mayo Clinic.

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