Erythromycin = A common generic antibiotic  a/k/a E-mycin

Clarithromycin = "Biaxin" an antibiotic commonly prescribed for
sinsuitis

Roxithomycin = not commonly used in the U.S.

Azithromycin = "Zithromax" a/k/a "Z-Pak", a commonly prescribed
antibiotic often touted as "a 5 day course that keeps working for 10
days"

What is most significant about the following is that the changes that
occur following consumption of antibiotics are IN LARGE PART
IRREVERSIBLE

Woody

Med Mycol. 2002 Apr;40(2):139-42. Related Articles, Links

Effects of erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin and azithromycin
on murine gut colonization by Candida albicans.

Samonis G, Maraki S, Anatoliotakis N, Anatoliotaki M, Apostolakou H,
Margioris AN, Tselentis Y, Kontoyiannis DP.

Division of Medicine, The University of Crete, Herkalion, Greece.
georgsec@med.uoc.gr

Male Crl:CD1(ICR) BR mice were fed either chow containing Candida
albicans or regular chow. The gastrointestinal tract of the C.
albicans-fed mice was permanently colonized by the yeast. Groups of C.
albicans-colonized mice were subsequently treated either with a
macrolide (erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin or azithromycin)
for 10 days or a normal saline solution (controls). Other controls
included non-colonized mice receiving the same antibiotics or a saline
solution. Our data are as follows: (i) C. albicans-colonized mice
treated with each macrolide had highly significant increase in colony
counts of C. albicans in their stools compared to C. albicans-colonized
mice treated with saline only; (ii) discontinuation of macrolide
treatment showed a trend towards lower colony counts, which was not
statistically significant (colony counts were sustained even after
discontinuation of antibiotic treatment); (iii) dissemination of C.
albicans did not occur; (iv) mice fed regular chow treated with the
study drugs or saline did not have any yeasts in their stools. In
conclusion, oral erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin and
azithromycin cause a modest increase of the C. albicans concentration
of the gastrointestinal tract. This increase is not associated with a
higher risk of disseminated candidiasis.

PMID: 12058726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]