Clindamycin Injectable: Dosing and Precautions
Injectable clindamycin guidance for severe anaerobic, streptococcal, and staphylococcal infections, plus necrotizing infections and anthrax.
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Source reviewed
September 2023
Guide category
Injectable drugs
Safety boundary
Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.
Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.
Therapeutic action
Lincosamide antibacterial.
Indications
- Second-line treatment of severe infections due to anaerobic bacteria, staphylococci, and or streptococci, alone or in combination depending on indication.
- Necrotizing skin and soft tissues infections and severe cutaneous anthrax, in combination with other antibacterials.
Forms and strengths, route of administration
- 300 mg in 2 ml ampoule, 150 mg/ml, for IV infusion in 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% glucose, administered over 30 minutes.
- Never use by direct undiluted IV.
Dose
Dilute each dose in 5 ml/kg of 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% glucose in children less than 20 kg and in a bag of 100 ml in children 20 kg and over and in adults.
Severe infections due to anaerobic bacteria, staphylococci and or streptococci
- Neonate 0 to 7 days under 2 kg: 5 mg/kg every 12 hours.
- Neonate 0 to 7 days 2 kg and over: 5 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- Neonate 8 days to under 1 month under 2 kg: 5 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- Neonate 8 days to under 1 month 2 kg and over: 10 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- Child 1 month and over: 10 mg/kg, maximum 600 mg, every 8 hours.
- Adult: 600 to 900 mg every 8 hours.
Necrotizing infections, severe cutaneous anthrax
- Neonate: as above.
- Child 1 month and over: 10 to 13 mg/kg, maximum 900 mg, every 8 hours.
- Adult: 900 mg every 8 hours.
Duration
Change to oral route as soon as possible.
- Cellulitis, erysipelas: 7 to 10 days.
- Pneumonia: 10 to 14 days.
- Severe cutaneous anthrax: 14 days.
- Other infections: according to clinical evolution.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with allergy to lincosamides or history of pseudomembranous colitis.
- Reduce dosage in patients with hepatic impairment.
- May cause pseudomembranous colitis, rash, jaundice, and severe allergic reactions. In these cases, stop treatment.
- In the event of pseudomembranous colitis, treat for Clostridium difficile infection.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication.
- Breast-feeding: use only when there is no therapeutic alternative and monitor the child's stools.
- Do not mix with other drugs in the same infusion.
- Some formulations contain benzyl alcohol and should not be used in neonates.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.
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