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. 2018 Nov;23(46):1800394.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.46.1800394.

Antimicrobial use in European long-term care facilities: results from the third point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use, 2016 to 2017

Enrico Ricchizzi  1 , Katrien Latour  2 , Tommi Kärki  3 , Rossella Buttazzi  1 , Béatrice Jans  2 , Maria Luisa Moro  1 , Olivia Aya Nakitanda  3 , Diamantis Plachouras  3 , Dominique L Monnet  3 , Carl Suetens  3 , Pete Kinross  3 ; HALT Study Group  4
Affiliations

Antimicrobial use in European long-term care facilities: results from the third point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use, 2016 to 2017

Enrico Ricchizzi et al. Euro Surveill. 2018 Nov.

Abstract

Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed and contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In 2010, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control initiated point prevalence surveys (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in European LTCFs, performed by external contractors as the Healthcare-Associated infections in Long-Term care facilities (HALT) projects. Here, we investigated prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial stewardship indicators in European LTCFs in 2016-17. Twenty-four European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia participated in the third PPS in European LTCFs. Overall, 4.9% (95% confidence interval: 4.8-5.1) of LTCF residents in the EU/EEA participating countries received at least one antimicrobial. The most commonly reported Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) groups were beta-lactam antibacterials/penicillins (J01C), other antibacterials (J01X) (e.g. glycopeptide antibacterials, polymyxins), quinolones (J01M), sulfonamides and trimethoprim (J01E), and other beta-lactams (J01D). Urinary tract infections and respiratory tract infections were the main indications for antimicrobial prescription. This PPS provides updated and detailed information on antimicrobial use in LTCFs across the EU/EEA that can be used to identify targets for future interventions, follow-up of these interventions and promote prudent use of antimicrobials in European LTCFs.

Keywords: AMR; HAI; LTCF; PPS; antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial use; healthcare-associated infections; long-term care facility; point-prevalence survey; surveillance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Indications (treatment or prophylaxis, for the most commonly sites of infection) for antimicrobial use in long-term care facilities, by country, 22 European Union/European Economic Area countriesa, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, 2016–2017
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of antibacterials for systemic use (ATC group J01) into groups, by main indication (prophylaxis or treatment) and by country, 22 European Union/European Economic Area countriesa, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, 2016–2017
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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