ABSTRACT
Parasitic infections and the medications used to treat them may be unfamiliar to many paediatricians. Parasitic infections, however, are not uncommonly seen in children in the UK. We summarise infections which are commonly seen, currently recommended treatment and practical guidance on formulations, adverse effects and treatment choice.
ABSTRACT
Background: Antibiotics are commonly prescribed in paediatrics. As their excessive use contributes to adverse drug events, increased healthcare costs, and antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship initiatives are essential to optimising medical care. These single-centre point prevalence surveys aimed to provide insights into antibiotic prescribing trends and identify targets for paediatric AMS activities. Methods: 14 point prevalence surveys were conducted from March 2016-April 2021, collecting data on antibiotic prescriptions, indication, adherence to guidelines, and route of administration. The UK adapted the World Health Organisation's AWaRe classification-guided antibiotic categorization. Results: 32.5% of all inpatients were on at least one antimicrobial; this remained stable during all surveys (range: 20-44%, p = 0.448). Of all prescriptions, 67.2% had an end- or review-date, and the majority was for agents in the Watch category (46.8-70.5%). Amoxicillin and clavulanate were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics (20.8%), followed by gentamicin (15.3%). Approximately 28.8% of all prescriptions were for prophylactic indications, while 7.6% of the prescriptions were not adherent to the hospital guidelines. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and robust AMS initiatives to ensure prudent antibiotic prescribing in paediatric healthcare. It underscores the need for tailored guidelines, educational efforts, and targeted interventions to enhance the quality of antibiotic usage, ultimately benefiting both individual patients and public health.
ABSTRACT
The negative impact of high antimicrobial use (AMU), antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) on children is concerning. However, a lack of available paediatric data makes it challenging to design and implement interventions that would improve health outcomes in this population, and impedes efforts to secure additional resources. The upcoming 2023 national point-prevalence survey of HCAIs and AMU in hospitals, led by the UK Health Security Agency, is an opportunity to collect valuable information, which will enable healthcare providers and policy makers to optimize antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention practices in all populations, including children. These data will facilitate benchmarking and sharing of best practice, internally, nationally and internationally. This is a joint call to action asking all healthcare professionals-particularly in paediatrics-to nominate a lead for their institution and participate in this survey, to ensure appropriate paediatric representation, and help protect children from these growing threats.