A new study in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society highlights a concerning fact- many doctors in the ER still prescribe infants with bronchiolitis, a viral infection, with antibiotics. Bronchiolitis is a lung infection typically caused by viruses in the pneumoviridae family and the leading cause of hospitalizatoin in infants in the United States during their first year of life, making it a common affliction whose treatment should be known. In 2006, official guidelines pivoted to recommending against antibiotic treatment in children without documented bacterial infections. Nevertheless, researchers found that between 2007 and 2015, about a quarter of children under the age of 2 afflicted by bronchiolitis received antibiotics, suggesting limited improvement compared against earlier years. 70% of children did not have a bacterial infection, rendering the antibiotics ineffective as a treatment.
Besides being wasteful, this inappropriate use of antibiotics is also harmful and can cause side effects and adverse reactions. A previous study suggests that side effects from antibiotic usage cause 70,000 emergency room visits among children in the United States. Furthermore, overuse can contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is becoming a threat to public health. The new study suggests in the important of informing hospitals of the change in guidelines and addressing the lag between recommended behavior and clinical practice.
For more details, see here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190117090501.htm
-Ed
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