Antibiotic prophylaxis: update on common clinical uses.

Cefazolin remains the drug of choice for prophylaxis during surgery. Cefoxitin or cefotetan may be used when both aerobic and anaerobic infections are a concern. Antibiotics are not necessary in most patients with prosthetic joints who are undergoing dental procedures. Oral antibiotic regimens using amoxicillin, erythromycin or clindamycin are now recommended for the prevention of bacterial endocarditis, even in patients at high risk. Most patients with tick bites do not need antibiotics for the prevention of Lyme disease. Human and animal bites require thorough cleaning, care in suturing, proper immunoprophylaxis against rabies and tetanus and, in most circumstances, prophylactic antibiotic therapy.