Reliability of nonlocalizing signs and symptoms as indicators of the presence of infection in nursing-home residents

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 Apr;43(4):417-426. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.1282. Epub 2020 Dec 9.

Abstract

Antibiotics are among the most common medications prescribed in nursing homes. The annual prevalence of antibiotic use in residents of nursing homes ranges from 47% to 79%, and more than half of antibiotic courses initiated in nursing-home settings are unnecessary or prescribed inappropriately (wrong drug, dose, or duration). Inappropriate antibiotic use is associated with a variety of negative consequences including Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), adverse drug effects, drug-drug interactions, and antimicrobial resistance. In response to this problem, public health authorities have called for efforts to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Clostridium Infections* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Nursing Homes*
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents