Medical — Tetracycline

Overview

Tetracycline Antibiotics are the primary medical treatment for bacterial infections in DayZ, typically contracted from drinking dirty water or consuming raw meat. Failing to treat these infections leads to constant health decay and potential death, making these pills essential for long-term survival.

How It Works

When your character consumes contaminated water or raw food, a hidden "Sickness" timer begins. Once symptomatic, your character will frequently cough or sneeze, which alerts nearby zombies and players. Taking one Tetracycline pill activates a healing buff that lasts for exactly 5 minutes; if the bacteria is not fully eradicated by the end of this window, you must consume another pill. The sickness is cured once the icon disappears from your HUD.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Locate Tetracycline Antibiotics in medical facilities, clinics, hospitals, or pharmacy spawns.
2. Confirm you are sick by checking for the coughing or sneezing animation and the corresponding icon in your HUD.
3. Open your inventory, drag the Tetracycline Antibiotics to your quickbar, or select them in your hands.
4. Consume a single pill.
5. Wait for the buff to process for 5 minutes.
6. Check your HUD periodically; if the icon persists after the effect wears off, consume another pill immediately.
7. Maintain your food, water, and blood stats in the white "boosted" range to accelerate the natural immune response.

Tips

• Always keep a pack of Tetracycline in your inventory if you plan on traveling inland, as water sources are not always reliable.
• You can pair Tetracycline with Multivitamins to significantly boost your character's natural immune system, often curing the infection faster.
• Never consume more than one pill at a time, as the effects do not stack; wait for the pill's active buff time to expire.
• If you are sick, avoid standing near other players, as coughing and sneezing can transmit certain illnesses to them in close proximity.
• Prioritize looting hospitals or high-tier medical tents in military zones if you are already symptomatic and losing health.

Common Mistakes

• Eating multiple pills at once; this wastes resources because the effects do not stack or accelerate the cure rate.
• Ignoring the cough animation until health is already critical, which makes recovery much harder.
• Drinking from found water bottles or canteens without disinfecting them first with Chlorine Tablets.
• Stopping treatment too early just because the coughing stopped; always wait for the icon to vanish completely from the HUD.

Related Items

• Tetracyclineantibiotics
• Vitaminbottle
• Charcoaltablets
• Chelatingtablets

Related Guides

• Water Purification
• Sickness and Disease
• Blood Types and Transfusions