Current Situation of Antibiotic Usage and Antibiotic Susceptibility in a Regional Hospital in Hsinchu, Taiwan

Abstract

Objective: Antibiotics are widely used against infectious diseases. However, the improper use of antibiotics often causes drug resistance in microorganisms, due to the microbial capacity for rapid multiplication and genetic information exchange. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the usage and susceptibility (sensitivity) pattern of antibiotics in a regional hospital in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion antibiotic sensitivity testing method. Information regarding antibiotic consumption and microbial susceptibility was collected between 2010 and 2012. Results: In total, 34,657 bacterial isolates were obtained between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012 (36 months), which were subjected to the Kirby-Bauer susceptibility test. Isolates showing a 10% increase or decrease in the susceptibility patterns were chosen for analysis. We observed a decrease in susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria over time in the samples collected from the hospital. Additionally, the susceptibility patterns were analyzed with respect to the antibiotic usage. We also observed a steady increase in the ratio of antibiotics to total drug cost over the 3 year-study period. Conclusions: Antibiotic susceptibility patterns may vary with location, and is closely related to antibiotic usage and microbial epidemiology. To our knowledge, no other comprehensive long-term local study, illustrating the changes in antibiotic susceptibility and usage, has been conducted in this hospital. This study may aid in advancing the knowledge of health care workers regarding the current state of bacterial resistance, subsequently resulting in the controlled administration of antimicrobials.