Azithromycin through the Lens of the COVID-19 Treatment

Azithromycin has become famous in the last two years, not for its main antimicrobial effect, but for its potential use as a therapeutic agent for COVID-19 infection. Initially, there were some promising results that supported its use, but it has become clear that scientific results are insufficient to support such a positive assessment. In this review we will present all the literature data concerning the activity of azithromycin as an antimicrobial, an anti-inflammatory, or an antivirus agent. Our aim is to conclude whether its selection should remain as a valuable antivirus agent or if its use simply has an indirect therapeutic contribution due to its antimicrobial and/or immunomodulatory activity, and therefore, if its further use for COVID-19 treatment should be interrupted. This halt will prevent further antibiotic resistance expansion and will keep azithromycin as a valuable anti-infective therapeutic agent.

Automated summary

This review evaluates the potential of azithromycin as a therapeutic agent for COVID-19 infection and discusses its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activity. The findings suggest that there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of azithromycin as a treatment for COVID-19, and discontinuing its use could prevent antibiotic resistance and preserve its value as an effective anti-infective therapeutic agent.