carbapenems:
are effective against most organisms isolated from hospital patients
are used to treat ear infections
are effective antivirals
are used to treat fungal infections
Carbapenems are broad-spectrum antibiotics that are effective against most organisms isolated from hospital patients. They are commonly used to treat severe infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.
However, carbapenems are not typically used to treat ear infections. These infections are usually caused by bacteria or viruses that are susceptible to narrower spectrum antibiotics or antiviral medications.
Carbapenems are not effective as antivirals. They specifically target and kill bacterial cells, not viral cells. Therefore, they are not useful in treating viral infections such as the common cold or influenza.
Finally, carbapenems are not used to treat fungal infections. Fungal infections require antifungal medications, which have different mechanisms of action compared to antibiotics like carbapenems.