Review: Diagnostic Potential for Collaborative Pharyngitis Biomarkers.

Pharyngitis is an inflammatory condition of the pharynx and/or tonsils commonly seen in both children and adults. Viruses and bacteria represent the most common encountered etiologic agents-yeast/fungi and parasites are infrequently implicated. Some of these are predominantly observed in unique populations (eg, immunocompromised or unvaccinated individuals). This manuscript (part 3 of 3) summarizes the current state of biomarker diagnostic testing and highlights the expanding role they will likely play in the expedited diagnosis and management of patients with acute pharyngitis. Biomarkers, in conjunction with rapid antigen and/or nucleic acid amplification testing, will likely become the standard of care to accurately diagnose the etiologic agent(s) of pharyngitis. This novel testing paradigm has the potential to guide appropriate patient management and antibiotic stewardship by accurately determining if the cause of pharyngitis is due to a viral or bacterial etiology.

Changes in the Appropriateness of US Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing After the COVID-19 Outbreak: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis of 2016-2021 Data.

BACKGROUND: No national study has evaluated changes in the appropriateness of US outpatient antibiotic prescribing across all conditions and age groups after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in March 2020. METHODS: This was an interrupted time series analysis of Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart Database, a national commercial and Medicare Advantage claims database. Analyses included prescriptions for antibiotics dispensed to children and adults enrolled during each month during 2017-2021. For each prescription, we applied our previously developed antibiotic appropriateness classification scheme to International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes on medical claims occurring on or during the 3 days prior to dispensing. Outcomes included the monthly proportion of antibiotic prescriptions that were inappropriate and the monthly proportion of enrollees with ≥1 inappropriate prescription. Using segmented regression models, we assessed for level and slope changes in outcomes in March 2020. RESULTS: Analyses included 37 566 581 enrollees, of whom 19 154 059 (51.0%) were female. The proportion of enrollees with ≥1 inappropriate prescription decreased in March 2020 (level decrease: -0.80 percentage points [95% confidence interval {CI}, -1.09% to -.51%]) and subsequently increased (slope increase: 0.02 percentage points per month [95% CI, .01%-.03%]), partly because overall antibiotic dispensing rebounded and partly because the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions that were inappropriate increased (slope increase: 0.11 percentage points per month [95% CI, .04%-.18%]). In December 2021, the proportion of enrollees with ≥1 inappropriate prescription equaled the corresponding proportion in December 2019. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an initial decline, the proportion of enrollees exposed to inappropriate antibiotics returned to baseline levels by December 2021. Findings underscore the continued importance of outpatient antibiotic stewardship initiatives.

The Effect of COVID-19 Vaccination on Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing in Older Adults: A Self-Controlled Risk-Interval Study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has been associated with reduced outpatient antibiotic prescribing among older adults with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We assessed the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on outpatient antibiotic prescribing in the broader population of older adults, regardless of SARS-CoV-2 infection status. METHODS: We included adults aged ≥65 years who received their first, second, and/or third COVID-19 vaccine dose from December 2020 to December 2022. We used a self-controlled risk-interval design and included cases who received an antibiotic prescription 2-6 weeks before vaccination (pre-vaccination or control interval) or after vaccination (post-vaccination or risk interval). We used conditional logistic regression to estimate the odds of being prescribed (1) any antibiotic, (2) a typical "respiratory" infection antibiotic, or (3) a typical "urinary tract" infection antibiotic (negative control) in the post-vaccination interval versus the pre-vaccination interval. We accounted for temporal changes in antibiotic prescribing using background monthly antibiotic prescribing counts. RESULTS: 469 923 vaccine doses met inclusion criteria. The odds of receiving any antibiotic or a respiratory antibiotic prescription were lower in the post-vaccination versus pre-vaccination interval (aOR, .973; 95% CI, .968-.978; aOR, .961; 95% CI, .953-.968, respectively). There was no association between vaccination and urinary antibiotic prescriptions (aOR, .996; 95% CI, .987-1.006). Periods with high (>10%) versus low (<5%) SARS-CoV-2 test positivity demonstrated greater reductions in antibiotic prescribing (aOR, .875; 95% CI, .845-.905; aOR, .996; 95% CI, .989-1.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced outpatient antibiotic prescribing in older adults, especially during periods of high SARS-CoV-2 circulation.

State-of-the-Art Review: Use of Antimicrobials at the End of Life.

Navigating antibiotics at the end of life is a challenge for infectious disease (ID) physicians who remain deeply committed to providing patient-centered care and engaging in shared decision making. ID physicians, who often see patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings and maintain continuity of care for patients with refractory or recurrent infections, are ideally situated to provide guidance that aligns with patients' goals and values. Complex communication skills, including navigating difficult emotions around end-of-life care, can be used to better direct shared decision making and assist with antibiotic stewardship.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Inpatient Antibiotic Use in the United States, January 2019 Through July 2022.

Antimicrobial use data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network's Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module between January 2019 and July 2022 were analyzed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inpatient antimicrobial use.

Emulating a Target Trial of Shorter Compared to Longer Course of Antibiotic Therapy for Gram-Negative Bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of antimicrobial therapies, gram-negative bacteremia remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality on a global level. Recent randomized controlled trials support shorter antibiotic treatment duration for individuals with uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia. The target trial framework using the cloning approach utilizes real-world data but eliminates the issue of immortal time bias seen in observational studies by emulating the analysis of randomized trials with full adherence. METHOD: A hypothetical target trial allocating individuals with gram-negative bacteremia to either short antibiotic treatment duration (5-7 days) or longer antibiotic treatment duration (8-14 days) was specified and emulated using the cloning, censoring, and weighting approach. The primary outcome was 90-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcome was a composite endpoint of clinical and microbiological relapse. The emulated trial included individuals from four hospitals in Copenhagen from 2018 through 2021. RESULTS: In sum, 1040 individuals were included. The median age of the cohort was 76 years, the majority were male (54%), had community-acquired gram-negative bacteremia (86%), urinary tract infection as the source of the infection (78%), and Escherichia coli as the pathogen of the infection (73%). The adjusted 90-day risk difference in all-cause mortality was 1.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -.7, 3.3), and the risk ratio was 1.12 (95% CI: .89, 1.37). The adjusted 90-day risk difference in relapse was 0.7% (95% CI: -2.3, 3.8), and the risk ratio was 1.07 (95% CI: .71, 1.45). CONCLUSIONS: We found comparative outcomes for shorter treatment duration compared to longer treatment duration in patients with gram-negative bacteremia.

A Novel Risk-Adjusted Metric to Compare Hospitals on Their Antibiotic Prescribing at Hospital Discharge.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic overuse at hospital discharge is common, but there is no metric to evaluate hospital performance at this transition of care. We built a risk-adjusted metric for comparing hospitals on their overall post-discharge antibiotic use. METHODS: This was a retrospective study across all acute-care admissions within the Veterans Health Administration during 2018-2021. For patients discharged to home, we collected data on antibiotics and relevant covariates. We built a zero-inflated, negative, binomial mixed model with 2 random intercepts for each hospital to predict post-discharge antibiotic exposure and length of therapy (LOT). Data were split into training and testing sets to evaluate model performance using absolute error. Hospital performance was determined by the predicted random intercepts. RESULTS: 1 804 300 patient-admissions across 129 hospitals were included. Antibiotics were prescribed to 41.5% while hospitalized and 19.5% at discharge. Median LOT among those prescribed post-discharge antibiotics was 7 (IQR, 4-10) days. The predictive model detected post-discharge antibiotic use with fidelity, including accurate identification of any exposure (area under the precision-recall curve = 0.97) and reliable prediction of post-discharge LOT (mean absolute error = 1.48). Based on this model, 39 (30.2%) hospitals prescribed antibiotics less often than expected at discharge and used shorter LOT than expected. Twenty-eight (21.7%) hospitals prescribed antibiotics more often at discharge and used longer LOT. CONCLUSIONS: A model using electronically available data was able to predict antibiotic use prescribed at hospital discharge and showed that some hospitals were more successful in reducing antibiotic overuse at this transition of care. This metric may help hospitals identify opportunities for improved antibiotic stewardship at discharge.

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Respiratory Tract Illnesses Following the Conclusion of an Education and Feedback Intervention in Primary Care.

BACKGROUND: A study previously conducted in primary care practices found that implementation of an educational session and peer comparison feedback was associated with reduced antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract diagnoses (RTDs). Here, we assess the long-term effects of this intervention on antibiotic prescribing following cessation of feedback. METHODS: RTD encounters were grouped into tiers based on antibiotic prescribing appropriateness: tier 1, almost always indicated; tier 2, possibly indicated; and tier 3, rarely indicated. A χ2 test was used to compare prescribing between 3 time periods: pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention (14 months following cessation of feedback). A mixed-effects multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between period and prescribing. RESULTS: We analyzed 260 900 RTD encounters from 29 practices. Antibiotic prescribing was more frequent in the post-intervention period than in the intervention period (28.9% vs 23.0%, P < .001) but remained lower than the 35.2% pre-intervention rate (P < .001). In multivariable analysis, the odds of prescribing were higher in the post-intervention period than the intervention period for tier 2 (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.30; P < .05) and tier 3 (OR, 1.20; 95% CI: 1.12-1.30) indications but was lower compared to the pre-intervention period for each tier (OR, 0.66; 95% CI: 0.59-0.73 tier 2; OR, 0.68; 95% CI: 0.61-0.75 tier 3). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention effects appeared to last beyond the intervention period. However, without ongoing provider feedback, there was a trend toward increased prescribing. Future studies are needed to determine optimal strategies to sustain intervention effects.

A survey of patient practices regarding leftover antibiotics reveals a potential source of antibiotic overuse.

Taking leftover prescribed antibiotics without consulting a healthcare professional is problematic for the efficacy, safety, and antibiotic stewardship. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adult patients in English and Spanish between January 2020 and June 2021 in six safety-net primary care clinics and two private emergency departments. We assessed the reasons for stopping prescribed antibiotics early and what was done with the leftover antibiotics. Additionally, we determined 1) prior leftover antibiotic use, 2) intention for future use of leftover antibiotics, and 3) sociodemographic factors. Of 564 survey respondents (median age of 51), 45% (251/564) reported a history of stopping antibiotics early, with 171/409 (42%) from safety net and 80/155 (52%) from the private clinics. The most common reason for stopping prescribed antibiotics early was "because you felt better" (194/251, 77%). Among survey participants, prior use of leftover antibiotics was reported by 149/564 (26%) and intention for future use of leftover antibiotics was reported by 284/564 (51%). In addition, higher education was associated with a higher likelihood of prior leftover use. Intention for future use of leftover antibiotics was more likely for those with transportation or language barriers to medical care and less likely for respondents with private insurance. Stopping prescribed antibiotics early was mostly ascribed to feeling better, and saving remaining antibiotics for future use was commonly reported. To curb nonprescription antibiotic use, all facets of the leftover antibiotic use continuum, from overprescribing to hoarding, need to be addressed.

Etiology and Outcomes of Acute Infectious Conjunctivitis in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the causes of conjunctivitis and whether clinical presentations and outcomes differ by pathogen. STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter, case-control study enrolled 390 children (194 cases, 196 controls) whose conjunctival samples were tested for bacterial and viral pathogens. Caregivers completed surveys tracking symptoms, antibiotic use, school attendance, and adverse events. The outcomes analyzed included the prevalence of microorganisms detected by PCR in cases versus controls, symptoms, rate of resolution by day 5, school/childcare attendance, and parent-reported antibiotic-related adverse incidents. RESULTS: Most cases (148, 76%) and controls (112, 57%) had bacteria identified, although only detection of Haemophilus influenzae was associated with conjunctivitis (aOR 4.59, 95% CI 2.86, 7.37). Purulent discharge was associated with H. influenzae (aOR 2.47, 95% CI 1.23, 5.01) and occurred in 92 (77%) cases in which H. influenzae was detected and 39 (53%) in which H. influenzae was not detected. Improvement (186, 96%) and resolution (166, 86%) were observed by day 5 for most children and did not differ based on ophthalmic antibiotic use. Caregivers reported antibiotic-associated adverse events for 21 (20%) children with 8 (8%) requiring a medical visit. CONCLUSIONS: Only H. influenzae was significantly associated with conjunctivitis. Symptoms did not differ in children with or without bacteria detected by PCR. Independent of antibiotic use, most children experienced resolution by day 5, but parents reported adverse events in 20% of children treated with topical antibiotics, underscoring the importance of judicious prescribing.

Improving Antibiotic Prescribing for Children with Community-acquired Pneumonia in Outpatient Settings.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a two-phase intervention was associated with improvements in antibiotic prescribing among nonhospitalized children with community-acquired pneumonia. STUDY DESIGN: In a large health care organization, a first intervention phase was implemented in September 2020 directed at antibiotic choice and duration for children 2 months through 17 years of age with pneumonia. Activities included clinician education and implementation of a pneumonia-specific order set in the electronic health record. In October 2021, a second phase comprised additional education and order set revisions. A narrow spectrum antibiotic (eg, amoxicillin) was recommended in most circumstances. Electronic health record data were used to identify pneumonia cases and antibiotics ordered. Using interrupted time series analyses, antibiotic choice and duration after phase one (September 2020-September 2021) and after phase two (October 2021-October 2022) were compared with a preintervention prepandemic period (January 2016-early March 2020). RESULTS: Overall, 3570 cases of community-acquired pneumonia were identified: 3246 cases preintervention, 98 post-phase one, and 226 post-phase two. The proportion receiving narrow spectrum monotherapy increased from 40.6% preintervention to 68.4% post-phase one to 69.0% post-phase two (P < .001). For children with an initial narrow spectrum antibiotic, duration decreased from preintervention (mean duration 9.9 days, SD 0.5 days) to post-phase one (mean 8.2, SD 1.9) to post-phase two (mean 6.8, SD 2.3) periods (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A two-phase intervention with educational sessions combined with clinical decision support was associated with sustained improvements in antibiotic choice and duration among children with community-acquired pneumonia.

Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Trauma Patients.

INTRODUCTION: In the era of rising antimicrobial resistance and successful protocols for empiric and prophylactic antimicrobial therapy in elective surgical procedures, it is important to consider the specific needs of the trauma population based on injury location, severity, and environmental exposures. In this study, we aim to compare outcomes of high-activation trauma patients who received antibiotics during initial evaluation with those who did not. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients focusing on antimicrobial administration who presented as the highest trauma activation criteria during the year 2021 was conducted at a single urban institution. Patient demographic, injury, and outcome data ere collected through manual data abstraction from our institutional trauma registry. RESULTS: Nearly half of all trauma patients in our study received antibiotics after initial evaluation and age was found to be significantly associated with antibiotic administration within the first 1.5 h. Young men with penetrating injuries were more likely to receive antibiotic treatment. Seventy-eight percent of patients who received early antibiotics underwent a procedure, while 61% of those who did not receive early antibiotics did not (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasize the importance of individualizing antibiotic treatment based on the patient's age and specific injury pattern. They also underscore the need for trauma providers to prioritize antibiotic stewardship.

Postoperative Wound Infection After Primary Closure in Pediatric Dog Bite Injuries.

INTRODUCTION: Guidelines recommend three to 5 d of antibiotic prophylaxis after dog bite injury, but variation exists in clinical practice after primary closure of wounds. The purpose of this study was to analyze antibiotic duration and incidence of infection during a study period in which an institutional protocol limiting postrepair antibiotics to a maximum of 3 d was implemented. METHODS: Dog bite injuries that underwent primary closure in patients ≤18 y were retrospectively identified from 2018 to 2022 at a level 1 pediatric trauma center. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Protocol compliance and short course of antibiotics were defined as ≤3 d of antibiotics. Multivariable regression analysis for variables associated with wound infection was performed. RESULTS: 455 injuries were included for analysis. After protocol implementation, the mean antibiotic duration decreased from 6.8 to 4.4 d (P < 0.001). Postrepair follow-up data were available for 235 (51.6%) cases in the cohort. Multivariable logistic regression identified superficial wounds and anatomic injury location to be significantly associated with wound infection. Shorter antibiotic duration was not associated with increased risk of wound infection on regression analysis, and there was no difference in postoperative wound infection rate between short-course and long-course groups (7.5% versus 7.1%, P = 0.912). CONCLUSIONS: Standardization of postoperative antibiotic duration was associated with a decrease antibiotic duration without an increase in the incidence of wound infections after closure of dog bite wounds. This study highlights the feasibility of multidisciplinary standardization of pediatric trauma care across specialties and the safety of minimizing antibiotic duration after pediatric dog bite repairs.

The impact of antibiotic stewardship interventions and patient related factors on antibiotic prescribing in a vascular surgical department.

PURPOSE: The development of guidelines tailored to the departments' needs and counselling during ward rounds are important antibiotic stewardship (AS) strategies. The aim was to analyse the impact of AS ward rounds and institutional guidelines as well as patient-related factors on antibiotic use in vascular surgical patients. METHODS: A retrospective prescribing-analysis of 3 months (P1, P2) before and after implementing weekly AS ward rounds and antimicrobial treatment guidelines was performed. Choice of systemic antibiotics, days of antibiotic therapy and clinical data were obtained from electronic patient records. RESULTS: During P2, the overall antibiotic consumption as well as the use of last-resort compounds like linezolid and fluoroquinolones decreased distinctly (overall: 47.0 days of therapy (DOT)/100 patient days (PD) vs. 35.3 DOT/100PD, linezolid: 3.7 DOT/100PD vs. 1.0 DOT/100PD, fluoroquinolones: 7.0 DOT/100PD vs. 3.2 DOT/100PD) while narrow-spectrum beta-lactams increased by 48.4%. Courses of antibiotics were de-escalated more often during P2 (30.5% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.011). Only in P2, an antibiotic therapy was initiated in patients suffering from more comorbidities (i.e. higher Charlson Comorbidity Index) more frequently. Other patient factors had no distinct impact on antibiotic prescribing. CONCLUSION: Weekly AS ward rounds improved adherence to institutional antibiotic treatment guidelines and antibiotic prescribing in vascular surgical patients. Clear patient-related determinants affecting choice of antibiotic therapies could not be identified.

Coinfections and antimicrobial treatment in a cohort of falciparum malaria in a non-endemic country: a 10-year experience.

INTRODUCTION: Falciparum malaria remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. In Germany, it is mainly an imported infection among travellers. Rates of coinfection are often unknown, and a clinical rationale for the beneficial use of calculated antibiotic therapy in patients with malaria and suspected coinfection is lacking. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of all in-patients treated with falciparum malaria at a German infectious diseases centre in vicinity to one of Europe's major airports for 2010-2019. Logistic regression and time-to-event analysis were used to evaluate predictors for bacterial coinfection, the use of antibacterial substances, as well as their influence on clinical course. RESULTS: In total, 264 patients were included. Of those, 64% received an additional antibacterial therapy (n = 169). Twenty-nine patients (11.0%) were found to have suffered from a relevant bacterial coinfection, while only a small fraction had relevant bacteremia (n = 3, 1.4%). However, patients with severe malaria did not suffer from coinfections more frequently (p = 0.283). CRP levels were not a reliable predictor for a bacterial coinfection (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.94-1.06, p = 0.850), while another clinical focus of infection was positively associated (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.45-11.55, p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Although bacterial coinfections were rare in patients with malaria at our centre, the risk does not seem negligible. These data point rather towards individual risk assessment in respective patients than to general empiric antibiotic use.

Interventions to de-implement unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for ear infections (DISAPEAR Trial): protocol for a cluster-randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Watchful waiting management for acute otitis media (AOM), where an antibiotic is used only if the child's symptoms worsen or do not improve over the subsequent 2-3 days, is an effective approach to reduce antibiotic exposure for children with AOM. However, studies to compare the effectiveness of interventions to promote watchful waiting are lacking. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness and implementation outcomes of two pragmatic, patient-centered interventions designed to facilitate use of watchful waiting in clinical practice. METHODS: This will be a cluster-randomized trial utilizing a hybrid implementation-effectiveness design. Thirty-three primary care or urgent care clinics will be randomized to one of two interventions: a health systems-level intervention alone or a health systems-level intervention combined with use of a shared decision-making aid. The health systems-level intervention will include engagement of a clinician champion at each clinic, changes to electronic health record antibiotic orders to facilitate delayed antibiotic prescriptions as part of a watchful waiting strategy, quarterly feedback reports detailing clinicians' use of watchful waiting individually and compared with peers, and virtual learning sessions for clinicians. The hybrid intervention will include the health systems-level intervention plus a shared decision-making aid designed to inform decision-making between parents and clinicians with best available evidence. The primary outcomes will be whether an antibiotic was ultimately taken by the child and parent satisfaction with their child's care. We will explore the differences in implementation effectiveness by patient population served, clinic type, clinical setting, and organization. The fidelity, acceptability, and perceived appropriateness of the interventions among different clinician types, patient populations, and clinical settings will be compared. We will also conduct formative qualitative interviews and surveys with clinicians and administrators, focus groups and surveys of parents of patients with AOM, and engagement of two stakeholder advisory councils to further inform the interventions. DISCUSSION: This study will compare the effectiveness of two pragmatic interventions to promote use of watchful waiting for children with AOM to reduce antibiotic exposure and increase parent satisfaction, thus informing national antibiotic stewardship policy development. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT06034080.

Antibiotic prescribing practices and antibiotic use quality indicators in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR: a point prevalence survey in a tertiary care hospital.

CONTEXT: The increase and global dissemination of antibiotic resistance limit the use of antibiotics to prevent and treat infections. Implementing antibiotic stewardship programs guided by local data on prescription profiles is a useful strategy to reduce the burden of antibiotic resistance. The aim was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic use and guideline compliance at Luang Prabang provincial hospital, Lao PDR. METHODS: A point prevalence survey of antibiotics was conducted among hospitalized patients admitted to Luang Prabang hospital (204 beds) in Lao PDR on May 25, 2023. All patients presenting at 8:00 AM were eligible. Sociodemographic data, indications for antibiotic use, and antibiotic prescriptions were collected from medical records using a paper-based questionnaire and entered into an electronic platform following WHO methodology. The prevalence of antibiotic use was determined. RESULTS: Out of the 102 patients included, 60(58.8%) were undergoing antibiotic treatment, of which 33(55.0%) received combination therapy, and 7(10.5%) had two indications for antibiotic use. The highest prevalence was in the surgical ward (14/15, 93%) followed by general paediatrics (18/27, 67%). Out of the 100 antibiotic prescriptions, 47(47%) were for community-acquired infections, 26(26%) for surgical prophylaxis, 13(13%) for hospital-acquired infections and 5(5%) for medical prophylaxis. Twenty(20%) antibiotics were prescribed for obstetrics and gynaecology prophylaxis, 17(17%) for intra-abdominal infections, and 10(10.0%) for pneumonia treatment as well as bone, and joint infections. The main antibiotics prescribed were ceftriaxone 36(34.6%), metronidazole 18(17.3%), ampicillin 8(7.7%), and gentamicin 8(7.7%). Only 2(3%) samples were sent to the laboratory, one of which showed a positive culture for Escherichia coli Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamase. According to the WHO Access Watch and Reserve classification, 55(52.9%) molecules belonged to the Access category, 47(49.1%) to the Watch category, and none to the Reserve category. Only 14.9% of antibiotic prescriptions were fully compliant with current guidelines. CONCLUSION: This study indicated a significant prevalence of antibiotic use and a very low compliance with guidelines at Luang Prabang provincial hospital, Lao PDR. This highlights an urgent need for comprehensive strategies at all levels to optimize antibiotic use in hospitals, emphasizing diagnostic improvements, and continued research to address the factors driving this excessive antibiotic usage and improve adherence to guidelines.

YELLOW RoUTIne prospective cohort study protocol: insight in the dynamics of bacteria in the elderly bladder.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) - the presence of bacteria in urine without urinary tract infection (UTI) related signs & symptoms (S&S) - is common in the elderly bladder and is not considered pathogenic for UTI. We hypothesise that colonisation with non-uropathogenic bacteria could protect the bladder from invasion of more harmful bacteria. The exact role and dynamics of bacteriuria in the relation to the development of a UTI is still unknown. We aim to provide insight into the course of bacteriuria in the elderly bladder and its relation to UTI in frail older adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A prospective observational cohort study is being conducted in Dutch nursing homes (NHs) between February 2024 and December 2025. Urine samples and case report forms (CRF) on UTI-related S&S will be collected from each consenting NH resident every 3 months for a follow-up period of 18 months. Whenever a UTI-suspicion occurs in between the 3 monthly time points, additional data and a urine sample will be collected. Urine samples undergo several urinalyses (e.g. dipstick and bacterial culture). Additional molecular analysis will be conducted on a selection of cultured Escherichia coli (E. coli) for virulence genes. Primary analyses will be conducted between residents with and without ASB at each time point. The primary outcome is UTI incidence during follow-up. In secondary analyses we will also take into account the low versus high presence of virulence genes of the E. coli. DISCUSSION: The combination of high ASB prevalence and a reduced ability of frail older adults to express UTI-related S&S may lead to UTI misdiagnosis and inappropriate antibiotic use. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the dynamics and role of bacteriuria in the elderly bladder and their potential protective effect on the development of UTI. The study findings with comprehensive analysis of epidemiological, clinical and molecular data could set the fundamental base for future guidelines and studies, and contribute to improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of UTI in frail older adults, in addition to contributing to antibiotic stewardship in NHs.

Mapping the evidence about the natural history of acute infections commonly seen in primary care and managed with antibiotics: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Knowing the natural history of acute infections in primary care, defined as the course of a disease over time in the absence of specific therapy or treatment, can inform clinicians' and patients' expectations about illness recovery, but this evidence is fragmented across the literature. This scoping review aimed to map existing research and research gaps relevant to the natural history of acute infections. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL using a 2-phase hierarchical search approach. In Phase A, we focused on identifying systematic reviews synthesising natural history data for eligible infections (acute respiratory, urinary, and skin and soft tissue) and systematic reviews of treatment effectiveness (of RCTs with placebo or no treatment arm, or cohort studies). For infections without existing reviews, in Phase B, we searched for primary studies (placebo-controlled RCTs or cohort studies). Two reviewers independently screened and extracted the data (study characteristics, outcome data - e.g., symptom duration, proportion with resolution at various time points). RESULTS: We identified 40 systematic reviews, reporting on 45 infections, most commonly (90%) respiratory tract infections. Six (15%) of these aimed to synthesise natural history information. Most reviews reported the proportion of participants with symptom resolution at various time point/s, with 58% providing data on mean symptom duration. Recovery data show the spontaneous resolution of some infections in some people. We found no eligible studies for cellulitis, ecthyma, carbuncle, and erysipelas. CONCLUSIONS: Our review has shown that natural history evidence exists for many common acute infections. It can be utilised by clinicians in implementing patient-centred antibiotic stewardship strategies in primary care. Future research should focus on generating natural history evidence for skin and soft tissue infections and urinary tract infections.

Antibiotic utilization at an orthopedic inpatient department in a large governmental hospital in the north of the West Bank, Palestine; a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating the patterns of antibiotic consumption are becoming increasingly necessary as a result of the increased use of antibiotics and development of antibiotic resistance globally. This study aimed to evaluate the use of antibiotics in in terms of both quantity and quality at the largest surgical hospital in the north of the West Bank, Palestine. METHODS: An observational retrospective study with a total population sampling method was conducted to collect data from the inpatients of the orthopedic departments of a large governmental hospital in the northern West Bank, Palestine. The data were collected from patients' files and evaluated using the anatomical therapeutic chemical and defined daily dose (ATC/DDD) methodology, and the drug utilization 90% (DU90%) index. The ATC/DDD methodology, designed by the World Health Organization (WHO), as a well-trusted and standardized tool that allows measuring and comparing antibiotic utilization across different contexts. Antibiotic prescriptions were classified using the World Health Organization Access, Watch and Reserve classification (WHO AWaRe). RESULTS: Of the 896 patients who were admitted to the hospital in the year 2020 and included in the study, 61.9% were males, and 38.1% were females. The percentage of patients who received antibiotics was 97.0%, and the overall antibiotic usage was 107.91 DDD/100 bed days. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was cefazolin (50.30 DDD/100 bed days), followed by gentamicin (24.15 DDD/100 bed days) and ceftriaxone (17.35 DDD/100 bed days). The DU90% segment comprised four different agents. Classification of antibiotics according to the WHO AWaRe policy revealed that 75.9% of antibiotics were prescribed from the access list. CONCLUSION: This study comes as part of the efforts exerted to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in Palestine. Our results showed that the consumption of antibacterial agents in the orthopedic unit at a large governmental hospital in Palestine was relatively high. The results of this study provide valuable insights for the decision-makers to create policies aimed at regulating antibiotic prescriptions. This study also aims to provide a look into the antibiotic prescription patterns, offering a clearer understanding of the current situation of antibiotic consumption in Palestine. It also emphasizes the need for antibiotic stewardship and surveillance programs.