Impact of registration procedures on antibiotic policies

Abstract

There is increasing concern over antibiotic resistance and its spread in common bacterial species, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilia influenzae and Escherichia coli. This results in increased morbidity and mortality. Over consumption of antibiotics has been reported in many settings and underlines the need for improving antibiotic policies. Crude measures of both antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance do not share a strong cause-and-effect relationship. However, this relationship is highly suggestive at a country level, at a hospital level, at a cohort level and at an individual level. In addition to overuse, antibiotic misuse has also to be considered, because of its impact on promoting antibiotic resistance, related to choice, dosage, dosing regimen or duration of therapy [1]. © 2001 Copyright by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.