Company insight
Putting antibiotic resistance to the test
Just like other organisms, disease-causing bacteria evolve defence mechanisms that allow it to survive when patients are treated with antibiotics. A liberal approach to prescribing them is part of the issue because repeated exposure provides the stimulus for evolutionary adaptation. Felicia Longobardi, leader of EMEA rapid diagnostics at Abbott outlines the scale of the issue and explains how point-of-care diagnostic testing can help healthcare professionals avoid overprescribing antibiotics.
Could you tell us a bit about your background and experience? Felicia Longobardi: I have around 25 years of experience working in the field. I spent many years observing the value of antibiotics while working as a chemical engineer producing large-scale antibiotics. Later on, while working in the surgical field, I observed how antibiotic resistance has life or death consequences for many patients. I became a passionate advocate for antibiotic stewardship after I moved into the rapid diagnostics field, seeing the potential rapid diagnostics had to change antibiotic prescribing and impact the use of life-saving antibiotic treatment for future generations.
inappropriate. There is concern that a lack of new antibiotics will threaten global efforts to contain antibiotic resistant infections and hence we should strive to preserve existing agents and not use them indiscriminately. There has been some progress in reducing antibiotic use in primary care in some countries, but not in others, and there is a wide range of prescribing rates across the globe. The prescription of antibiotics at both the community and hospital level needs better management. It needs to be addressed through national strategies to improve diagnostics, develop new antibiotics and promote antibiotic stewardship.
“Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health and is accelerated mainly by the misuse and unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. There is a direct relationship between the prescribing of antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance.”
What is the estimated global impact of antibiotic resistance? Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health and is accelerated mainly by the misuse and unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. There is a direct relationship between the prescribing of antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance. About 70% of respiratory tract infections are viral, and many others are minor self-limiting bacterial infections, where the use of antibiotics is
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What is point-of-care testing and how can it help reduce antibiotic resistance?
Point-of-care testing is any diagnostic test performed at or near to the site of the patient, with results made immediately available to aid in the care of that patient. Essentially it is a laboratory test conducted outside of the laboratory setting. With point-of-care testing, patients and their care providers can make management decisions at the time of the visit of a patient. Results are available
within minutes and can be discussed with the patient immediately. Besides potential clinical benefits, this offers the physician greater certainty for patients presenting without laboratory results.
Point-of-care testing has also been shown to improve practice workflow and lead to operational and economic benefits. For patients, point-of-care testing is more convenient and increases understanding, motivation and satisfaction.
C-reactive protein point-of-care testing can help fight against antibiotic resistance, as discussed in our recent webinar: Fighting forwards: how to keep antibiotics working in an age of resistance.
Most antibiotics are prescribed for respiratory tract infections in the primary care setting. C-reactive protein point-of-care testing has been shown to reduce antibiotic prescribing in respiratory tract infections without impacting clinical measures, such as rate of recovery or mortality.
What differences are there between countries for point-of- care pathways?
A recent survey found that EU countries using C-reactive protein point-of-care testing, were the lowest 12 prescribers of antibiotics; these were Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Latvia and Estonia. By comparison, investigations in 2015 reported that Italy had the highest antibiotic consumption in humans out of all EU/EEA member states. Adoption models for point-of-care testing that have proved successful in EU countries demonstrate a distinct pattern.
Practical Patient Care /
www.practical-patient-care.com
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