Johns Hopkins ABX Guide
Minocycline
INDICATIONS
FDA
FDA
- Pneumonia due to susceptible strains, e.g.,
- Skin and skin structure infections, including those caused by S. aureus(if susceptible, MRSA)
- Uncomplicated urethral, endocervical or rectal infections
- Granuloma inguinale caused by Calymmatobacterium granulomatis
- Lymphogranuloma venereum caused by Chlamydia species
- Nongonococcal urethritis (caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum or Chlamydia trachomatis)
- Chancroid caused by Haemophilus ducreyi
- Psittacosis caused by Chlamydia psittaci
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus and the rickettsial typhus group, Q fever, rickettsialpox and other tick fevers caused by Rickettsiae
- Doxycycline is preferred for RMSF and most acute tick-borne rickettsial diseases because of greater clinical experience and guideline support; however, minocycline is likely equivalent in efficacy.
- Cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae (resistance reported)
- Yaws caused by T. pertenue
- Relapsing fever due to Borrelia recurrentis
- Tularemia due to Francisella tularensis
- Campylobacter fetus infections caused by Campylobacter fetus
- Brucellosis due to Brucella species)
- Bartonellosis due to Bartonella bacilliformis
- Mild-moderate acne vulgaris (age >12, minocycline ER only)
- IV Minocycline is also indicated for the treatment of Enterobacterales infections caused by the following Gram-negative bacteria when bacteriologic testing indicates appropriate susceptibility to the drug:
- E. coli
- Klebsiella aerogenes(formerly Enterobacter aerogenes)
- Shigella species
- Other microorganisms, if susceptible
- Acne vulgaris (adjunctive treatment)
- Oral minocycline products are approved for inflammatory lesions of non-nodular moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris; topical foam is approved down to age ≥9 depending on the product.
- Acne rosacea
- Topical 1.5% foam and Emrosi are FDA-approved for inflammatory lesions of rosacea
NON-FDA APPROVED USES
NON-FDA APPROVED USES
- Hardware-associated infections, septic arthritis
- Lyme disease
- Doxycycline preferred.
- Atypical mycobacterial infections, e.g., M. abscessus
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Last updated: June 7, 2026
Citation
Dzintars, Kathryn, and Paul A Pham. "Minocycline." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2026. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540351/all/Minocycline.
Dzintars K, Pham PA. Minocycline. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2026. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540351/all/Minocycline. Accessed June 21, 2026.
Dzintars, K., & Pham, P. A. (2026). Minocycline. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540351/all/Minocycline
Dzintars K, Pham PA. Minocycline [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2026. [cited 2026 June 21]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540351/all/Minocycline.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Minocycline
ID - 540351
A1 - Dzintars,Kathryn,Pharm.D., BCPS
AU - Pham,Paul,Pharm.D.
Y1 - 2026/06/07/
BT - Johns Hopkins ABX Guide
UR - https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540351/all/Minocycline
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Johns Hopkins Guides
DP - Unbound Medicine
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