Prescription medication · Fifth-Generation Cephalosporin

ceftaroline

Also sold as Teflaro. This medicine treats acute bacterial skin infections in adults and children.

Data updated 2026-05-15

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ceftaroline (Teflaro) is a prescription Fifth-Generation Cephalosporin. This medicine treats acute bacterial skin infections in adults and children.

Ceftaroline (Teflaro) is an antibiotic medicine. It fights bacterial infections in the skin, skin structures, and lungs.

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What it does

This medicine treats acute bacterial skin infections in adults and children.

Common side effects

Diarrhea, Nausea, Rash

Key warnings

You should not take this medicine if you are seriously allergic to ceftaroline or other cephalosporin antibiotics.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from ceftaroline's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Ceftaroline belongs to a class of antibiotics called cephalosporins. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps your body fight off the infection.

Serious Warnings

You should not take this medicine if you are seriously allergic to ceftaroline or other cephalosporin antibiotics. Ceftaroline can cause severe allergic reactions. Tell your doctor if you have diarrhea, as it could be a sign of a Clostridioides difficile infection. Ceftaroline may also cause neurological problems. This medicine can also affect the results of a blood test called the Coombs test, and may cause anemia.

Common Questions

What kind of drug is ceftaroline?
Ceftaroline is an antibiotic.
How is ceftaroline given?
It is given through a vein (IV).
How often will I receive ceftaroline?
The frequency depends on your age, weight, and infection type. Your doctor will determine the best schedule for you.
How long does the infusion take?
The IV infusion usually takes 5 to 60 minutes.
What should I do if I experience diarrhea while taking ceftaroline?
Tell your doctor right away, as it could be a sign of a Clostridioides difficile infection.
Can ceftaroline cause an allergic reaction?
Yes, ceftaroline can cause severe allergic reactions. Tell your doctor if you have had allergic reactions to other antibiotics.
Can I take ceftaroline if I'm allergic to penicillin?
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to penicillin. They will decide if ceftaroline is safe for you.
Will ceftaroline interact with other medications I'm taking?
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
Can ceftaroline affect my kidneys?
Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, as your dose may need to be adjusted.
Is ceftaroline safe for children?
Yes, ceftaroline is approved for use in children for certain infections. The dose is based on the child's age and weight.
What are the common side effects of ceftaroline?
The registry lists Diarrhea, Nausea, Rash, Vomiting, Fever among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for ceftaroline. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
What drug class is ceftaroline?
ceftaroline belongs to the Fifth-Generation Cephalosporin drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). This medicine treats acute bacterial skin infections in adults and children.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for ceftaroline?
The FDA label for ceftaroline contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

Related Medications in Fifth-Generation Cephalosporin

Other drugs grouped near ceftaroline - same-class peers and common alternatives.

amikacin

Amikin

Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine.

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amoxicillin

Amoxil

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium is a combination medicine used to fight bacterial infections.

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amoxicillin/clavulanate

Augmentin

Augmentin is a combination of two medicines, amoxicillin and clavulanate.

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ampicillin/sulbactam

Unasyn

Unasyn is a combination of two antibiotics that fights bacteria in your body.

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azithromycin

Zithromax, Z-Pack

Azithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.

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What the FDA Data Shows for ceftaroline

The FDA label for ceftaroline (sold under brand names such as Teflaro) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Fifth-Generation Cephalosporin class. This medicine treats acute bacterial skin infections in adults and children. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Diarrhea, Nausea, Rash.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.

Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data Sources

Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: February 3, 2026

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.

All federal data sources used on this page