Aminoglycosides are indicated for which type of infection?

Aminoglycosides are primarily indicated for the treatment of Gram-negative infections. These antibiotics are particularly effective against aerobic Gram-negative bacteria due to their mechanism of action, which involves binding to the bacterial ribosome and inhibiting protein synthesis. This makes them powerful agents in the fight against serious infections caused by organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.

While aminoglycosides can have some effectiveness against certain Gram-positive bacteria, they are typically not the first line of treatment for those types of infections. Instead, aminoglycosides are often used in combination with other antibiotics to enhance their efficacy when targeting Gram-positive pathogens. They are not effective against fungal or viral infections, as these require entirely different classes of antifungal or antiviral medications. Thus, the indication of aminoglycosides is specifically aligned with the treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections.