UTI Knowledge Center
Antibiotic Spotlight

Doxycycline

Emery Haley, PhD, Scientific Writing Specialist

Doxycycline

Find the Latest FDA-Approved Labelling Information Here: Drugs@FDA Online Database

Administrative Routes

Oral (PO) or Parenteral [intravenous infusion (IV)]

Other Names

Vibramycin; Periostat

Bacteriostatic or Bactericidal

Bacteriostatic [1]

Antibiotic Class

Tetracycline

Mechanisms of Action

The drug binds to the 30S ribosomal subunit of bacterial ribosomes. Binding to bacterial ribosomes blocks bacterial cells from synthesizing proteins required for growth.

WHO AWaRe Classification

Access [2]

Empiric Use Recommendations

No published guidance

Indication(s) Relevant to UTI

On label for infections (including UTIs) caused by the following organisms included in the Guidance® UTI test: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes (part of the Enterobacter group), Acinetobacter species, or Klebsiella species.  

On label for urethritis caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Checkmarks

CLSI and/or FDA documents support the efficacy of this antibiotic against the following organisms from the Guidance® UTI test: Aerococcus urinae, Citrobacter freundii, Corynebacterium riegelii, Coagulase-negative Staphylococci, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter Group organisms, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii, Mycoplasma hominis, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, and Ureaplasma urealyticum.  

Published primary literature supports the efficacy of this antibiotic against the following organisms from the Guidance® UTI test: Alloscardovia omnicolens ​​[3] and Actinotignum schaalii ​​ [4]

About the Author

Dr. Emery Haley is a scientific writing specialist with over ten years of experience in translational cell and molecular biology. As both a former laboratory scientist and an experienced science communicator, Dr. Haley is passionate about making complex research clear, approachable, and relevant. Their work has been published in over 10 papers and focuses on bridging the gap between the lab and real-world patient care to help drive better health outcomes.

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References
  1. Ishak, A.; Mazonakis, N.; Spernovasilis, N.; Akinosoglou, K.; Tsioutis, C. Bactericidal versus Bacteriostatic Antibacterials: Clinical Significance, Differences and Synergistic Potential in Clinical Practice. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 2024, 80, 1–17, doi:10.1093/jac/dkae380
  2. AWaRe Classification of Antibiotics for Evaluation and Monitoring of Use, 2023 Available online: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MHP-HPS-EML-2023.04 (accessed on 6 February 2025).
  3. Isnard, C.; Lienhard, R.; Reissier, S.; Rodriguez, S.; Krähenbühl, J.; Liassine, N.; Guérin, F.; Cattoir, V. In Vitro Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Alloscardovia Omnicolens and Molecular Mechanisms of Acquired Resistance. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease 2016, 84, 227–229, doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2015.08.009.
  4. Sahuquillo-Arce, J.M.; Suárez-Urquiza, P.; Hernández-Cabezas, A.; Tofan, L.; Chouman-Arcas, R.; García-Hita, M.; Sabalza-Baztán, O.; Sellés-Sánchez, A.; Lozano-Rodríguez, N.; Martí-Cuñat, J.; et al. Actinotignum Schaalii Infection: Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment. Heliyon 2024, 10, e28589, doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28589.