How did the discovery of erythromycin change society or scientific thinking?

Answer 1

I'm not sure that it had a huge change in society, but its discovery was similar to the discovery of penicillin, because of its very wide spectrum of efficacy. When it was originally discovered in 1952, many considered it to be a "miracle-drug" because it was able to effectively treat such a vast array of infections, and was thought to be able to affect all bacteria because it inhibits protein synthesis, and does not rely on the bacteria having a cell-wall (such as penicillin does), and was not subject to penicillinase destruction (as obviously penicillin is). It also does not induce serious anaphylactic responses that penicillin does with many people.

This was before bacteria developed resistance through alteration of erythromycin's penetration, as well as through genetic alteration of the bacterial ribosome that had less affinity for erythromycin. However, erythromycin remains a cornerstone of antibacterial therapy because it still has broad spectrum of activity and is often used in cases of bacterial resistance to penicillin, or for patients who are sensitive to penicillin.

Answer 2

it didn't much ...

it meant that people allergic to penicillin had an alternative

it meant that teldane got taken off the market

it is useful in an ICU setting for treating constipation or gastric dysmotility