Chloramphenicol
INDICATIONS
FDA
FDA
Chloramphenicol injectable has been discontinued for use in the U.S.
- Note: for use only in those serious infections for which less potentially dangerous drugs are ineffective or contraindicated.
- Acute infections caused by Salmonella typhi
- Serious infections caused by Salmonella species, H. influenzae, especially meningeal infections, Rickettsia, Lymphogranuloma-psittacosis Chlamydia group, various Gram-negative bacteria causing bacteremia and meningitis.
- Part of a cystic fibrosis regimen when other agents are ineffective or contraindicated.
- Ocular infections (ophthalmic drops and ointments)
NON-FDA APPROVED USES
NON-FDA APPROVED USES
- Lung abscess
- Gas gangrene (in PCN allergic pts)
- Brain abscess
- Paratyphoid fever
- Q fever (Coxiella burnetii)
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other endemic (murine or scrub) typhus infections caused by Rickettsia species.
- Ehrlichiosis
- Meningitis in PCN-allergic patients.
There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.
Last updated: May 10, 2025
Citation
Dzintars, Kathryn. "Chloramphenicol." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540119/all/Chloramphenicol.
Dzintars K. Chloramphenicol. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540119/all/Chloramphenicol. Accessed May 19, 2025.
Dzintars, K. (2025). Chloramphenicol. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540119/all/Chloramphenicol
Dzintars K. Chloramphenicol [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 May 19]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540119/all/Chloramphenicol.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Chloramphenicol
ID - 540119
A1 - Dzintars,Kathryn,Pharm.D., BCPS
Y1 - 2025/05/10/
BT - Johns Hopkins ABX Guide
UR - https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540119/all/Chloramphenicol
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Pediatrics Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -