Table 2. Summary of the myths addressed in the present review.

CNS: Central nervous system; MSSA: Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus; CSF: Cerebrospinal fluid; CrCl: Creatinine clearance; TMP-SMX: Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole

Myth	True/Findings in the Study
Bactericidal antibiotics are inherently more effective than bacteriostatic ones	Bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics show comparable efficacy in clinical settings, with some bacteriostatic agents demonstrating even greater efficacy than bactericidal ones
Longer courses of antibiotics are always better for treating infections	Shorter antibiotic courses are as effective as longer ones for various infections, reducing hospital stays, adverse effects, and costs without increasing resistance
Oral antibiotics are less effective than intravenous antibiotics	Oral antibiotics are equally effective as intravenous ones for certain infections, promoting earlier discharge, reducing catheter infections, and lowering costs
Cefazolin is inappropriate for treating bacterial meningitis	Cefazolin may be effective for treating CNS infections caused by MSSA, achieving excellent therapeutic levels in CSF
Doxycycline causes tooth discoloration in children below 8 years of age	Doxycycline does not cause tooth discoloration in children under 8 years old and can be safely administered for up to 21 days regardless of age
Linezolid and serotonin syndrome	Despite structural similarities to serotonergic drugs, linezolid has a low incidence of serotonin syndrome when used concurrently with serotonergic agents
Nitrofurantoin is contraindicated if CrCl is below 60 mL/min	Nitrofurantoin can be used safely in patients with CrCl above 30 mL/min, contrary to previous contraindications
TMP-SMX is ineffective against Streptococcus pyogenes	TMP-SMX is effective against Streptococcus pyogenes, showing non-inferiority to standard treatments for impetigo and cellulitis
Antibiotic resistance	Antibiotic resistance can occur without prior antibiotic exposure