Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic that belongs to the fluoroquinolone class of drugs. It is used to treat a variety of bacterial infections in different parts of the body. Some of the infections that ciprofloxacin can treat include:

• Pneumonia
• Gonorrhea (a sexually transmitted disease)
• Typhoid fever (a serious infection that is common in developing countries)
• Infectious diarrhea (infections that cause severe diarrhea)
• Infections of the skin, bone, joint, abdomen (stomach area), and prostate (male reproductive gland)
• Plague (a serious infection that may be spread on purpose as part of a bioterror attack)
• Inhalation anthrax (a serious infection that may be spread by anthrax germs in the air on purpose as part of a bioterror attack)
• Cat scratch disease (an infection that may develop after a person is bitten or scratched by a cat)
• Legionnaires disease (type of lung infection)
• Chancroid (genital sores caused by bacteria)
• Granuloma inguinale (donovanosis; a sexually transmitted disease that causes genital sores)

Ciprofloxacin is available in different forms such as tablets, oral liquid, ear drops, and eye drops. It is also given by injection, but this is usually done in a hospital. Ciprofloxacin extended-release (long-acting) tablets are used to treat kidney and urinary tract infections. However, ciprofloxacin tablets and liquid are not used as often as some other types of antibiotics because theres a risk of serious side effects.