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. 2022 Aug 29;11(1):108.
doi: 10.1186/s13756-022-01152-5.

What is the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs)? The results of a survey among a regional network of infectious disease centres

Agnese Comelli  1 , Camilla Genovese  2 , Andrea Lombardi  3   2 , Chiara Bobbio  3 , Luigia Scudeller  4 , Umberto Restelli  5 , Antonio Muscatello  3 , Spinello Antinori  6 , Paolo Bonfanti  7 , Salvatore Casari  8 , Antonella Castagna  9 , Francesco Castelli  10 , Antonella d'Arminio Monforte  11 , Fabio Franzetti  12 , Paolo Grossi  13 , Matteo Lupi  14 , Paola Morelli  15 , Stefania Piconi  16 , Massimo Puoti  17 , Luigi Pusterla  18 , Angelo Regazzetti  19 , Marco Rizzi  20 , Stefano Rusconi  21 , Valentina Zuccaro  22 , Andrea Gori  3   2 , Alessandra Bandera  3   2 ; ASP Lomb Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

What is the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs)? The results of a survey among a regional network of infectious disease centres

Agnese Comelli et al. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. .

Abstract

Discontinuation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) and increased antibiotic use were described during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In order to measure COVID-19 impact on ASPs in a setting of high multidrug resistance organisms (MDRO) prevalence, a qualitative survey was designed. In July 2021, eighteen ID Units were asked to answer a questionnaire about their hospital characteristics, ASPs implementation status before the pandemic and impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ASPs after the 1st and 2nd pandemic waves in Italy. Nine ID centres (50%) reported a reduction of ASPs and in 7 cases (38.9%) these were suspended. After the early pandemic waves, the proportion of centres that restarted their ASPs was higher among the ID centres where antimicrobial stewardship was formally identified as a priority objective (9/11, 82%, vs 2/7, 28%). SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a severe impact in ASPs in a region highly affected by COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance but weaknesses related to the pre-existent ASPs might have played a role.

Keywords: Antimicrobial stewardship; Antimicrobials use; COVID-19; Multidrug resistant organisms; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
ASPs changes during and after the first 2 waves of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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