Cefprozil, sometimes spelled cefproxil and marketed under the trade name Cefzil, is a second-generation cephalosporin

Cephalosporin

The cephalosporins are a class of β-lactam antibiotics originally derived from Acremonium, which was previously known as "Cephalosporium".Together with cephamycins they constitute a subgroup of β-lactam antibiotics called cephems.-Medical use:...

 type antibiotic

Antibiotic

An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...

. In Europe it is marketed using the trade names Procef and Cronocef. It can be used to treat bronchitis

Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...

, ear infections, skin infections, and other bacterial infections. It comes as a tablet and as a liquid suspension

Suspension (chemistry)

In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometer. The internal phase is dispersed throughout the external phase through mechanical agitation, with the use of certain...

.

Although there is a widely quoted cross-allergy risk of 10% between cephalosporins and penicillin, an article in the Journal of Family Practice has shown no increased risk for cross-allergy for cefprozil and several other second-generation or later cephalosporins.

External links

• Cefprozil MedlinePlus Drug Information