Antibiotic Stewardship

More than 211 million outpatient oral antibiotic prescriptions were written in 2021, according to the CDC. Data show that around 30% of outpatient prescriptions are inappropriate.

Inpatient antimicrobial use in U.S. hospitals increased both overall and among specific commonly used antibiotics during peak waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers reported.

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing at dental visits costs approximately $31 million annually, most of which are out-of-pocket expenses for patients, researchers determined.

Avoiding unnecessary urine cultures was more effective in reducing antibiotic use in hospitalized patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria than stewardship efforts focused on reducing unnecessary antibiotic treatment, a recent study found.

Researchers found that patients hospitalized withCOVID-19 received antibiotics for potential secondary bacterial infections without clinical indications suggesting they could benefit from the treatment.

Antibiotics administered before and during surgery should be stopped immediately after the patient’s incision is closed, according to updated recommendations for preventing surgical site infections.

SAN DIEGO — A speaker encouraged physicians who prescribe antibiotics to take the necessary steps to curb drug resistance and reduce disparities in care.

SEATTLE — Antibiotic use in long-term care facilities declined significantly over the course of almost a decade, although there was an uptick in 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study found.

My journey in infectious diseases started out with an intense hatred and utter confusion.

Outpatient antibiotic prescribing fell more than 25% in 2020 compared with earlier years across all ages, but researchers found most of the prescribing was among adults, according to a study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.