*1Manga, M. M., 1Ibrahim, M., 2Hassan, U. M., 2Joseph, R. H., 2Muhammad, A. S., 3Danimo, M. A., 4Ganiyu, O., 5Versporten, A., and 6Oduyebo, O. O.
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Gombe State University/ Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Nigeria
2Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Nigeria
3Department of Community Medicine, Gombe State University/Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Nigeria
4Department of Medicine, Gombe State University/Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Nigeria
5Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
6Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lagos/Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
*Correspondence to: drmmanga@gmail.com
Abstract:
Background: Empirical use of antibiotics is a standard practice in the treatment of infections worldwide. However, its over utilization without subsequent culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing could be a major driver of resistance. Over reliance on empirical antibiotherapy is common in most developing countries where antibiotic policies and availability or utilization of clinical microbiology laboratory are suboptimal. A standardized approach to point prevalence survey (PPS) on antimicrobial use (AMU) in hospitals was employed to assess the antimicrobial prescribing practices in Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe (FTHG), Nigeria.
Methodology: A PPS was conducted in April 2019 at FTHG by recruiting all in-patients present in the hospital on the day of survey. Data obtained from patients’ records included details of the type and indication for antibiotherapy. A customized online application developed by the University of Antwerp (www.global–pps.be) was used for data-entry, validation, analysis and reporting. Continue reading “Empirical antibiotherapy as a potential driver of antibiotic resistance: observations from a point prevalence survey of antibiotic consumption and resistance in Gombe, Nigeria”