Trends In Antibiotic Use Research Articles

Molecular characteristics and virulence gene profiles of Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Hainan, China

BackgroundThere have been no reports regarding the molecular characteristics, virulence features, and antibiotic resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from Hainan, the southernmost province of China.MethodsTwo hundred twenty-seven S. aureus isolates, consisting of 76 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 151 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), were collected in 2013–2014 and 2018–2019 in Hainan, and investigated for their molecular characteristics, virulence genes, antibiotic resistance profiles and main antibiotic resistance genes.ResultsForty sequence types (STs) including three new STs (ST5489, ST5492 and ST5493), and 79 Staphylococcal protein A (spa) types were identified based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa typing, respectively. ST398 (14.1%, 32/227) was found to be the most prevalent, and the prevalence of ST398-MSSA increased significantly from 2013 to 2014 (5.5%, 5/91) to 2018–2019 (18.4%, 25/136). Seventy-six MRSA isolates were subject to staphylococcus chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing. SCCmec-IVa was the predominant SCCmec type, and specifically, ST45-SCCmec IVa, an infrequent type in mainland China, was predominant in S. aureus from Hainan. The antibiotic resistance profiles and antibiotic resistance genes of S. aureus show distinctive features in Hainan. The resistant rates of the MRSA isolates to a variety of antibiotics were significantly higher than those of the MSSA isolates. The predominant erythromycin and tetracycline resistance genes were ermC (90.1%, 100/111) and tetK (91.8%, 78/85), respectively. Eleven virulence genes, including the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (pvl) and eta, were determined, and the frequency of eta and pvl were found to be 57.3 and 47.6%. Such high prevalence has never been seen in mainland China before.ConclusionS. aureus isolates in Hainan have unique molecular characteristics, virulence gene and antibiotic resistance profiles, and main antibiotic resistance genes which may be associated with the special geographical location of Hainan and local trends in antibiotic use.

Advanced neonatal medicine in China: Is newborn ward capacity associated with inpatient antibiotic usage?

Previous surveys of neonatal medicine in China have not collected comprehensive information on antibiotic use in newborns. The goal of the present study was to assess the trends in antibiotic use in inpatient newborns from advanced hospitals in mainland China and to evaluate the contributing factors. We extracted retrospective data on newborn clinical units from a database containing key clinical subspecialty area indicators from provincial or ministerial (Class A level III) hospitals over three consecutive years (2008–2010) and in 25 of 31 provincial districts of mainland China. Fifty-five newborn units were included in the study. The results showed that two thirds (65.7% ± 23.1%) of inpatient newborns were prescribed antibiotic products. Antibiotic use rates were significantly different by newborn ward bed capacity (p = 0.023; 60.6% for d capacity (ficant65.7% ± 23–100 beds group, and 77.1% for (ficant65.7% ± 23.1%) of inpatient newb significantly different by type of hospital, geographic area, admission to physician or nurse ratio, or physician or nurse academic degree. Factors contributing significantly to antibiotic use included ward bed capacity, physician to nurse ratio, average hospital stay, and pneumonia to preterm infant ratio. Our data suggested that the use of antibiotics among inpatient newborns in advanced hospitals in mainland China was prevalent and should be subject to rigorous monitoring, and highlighted the need to explore how newborn ward bed capacity potentially impacts antibiotic use.

Impact of antimicrobial stewardship managed by clinical pharmacists on antibiotic use and drug resistance in a Chinese hospital, 2010–2016: a retrospective observational study

Objectives‘National Special Stewardship in the Clinical Use of Antibiotics’ was put forward in July 2011 in China. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the impact of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) managed by...

Assessing the impact of law enforcement to reduce over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries; a systematic literature review

BackgroundMany low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are moving towards enforcing prescription-only access to antibiotics. This systematic literature review aims to assess the interventions used to enforce existing legislation prohibiting over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics in LMICs, their impact and examine the methods chosen for impact measurement including their strengths and weaknesses.MethodsBoth PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for studies reporting on impact measurement in moving towards prescription only access to antibiotics in LMICs. The PRISMA methodological review framework was used to ensure systematic data collection and analysis of literature. Narrative data synthesis was used due to heterogeneity of study designs.ResultsIn total, 15 studies were included that assessed policy impact in 10 different countries. Strategies employed to enforce regulations prohibiting OTC sales of systemic antibiotics included retention of prescriptions for antibiotics by pharmacies, government inspections, engaging pharmacists in the design of interventions, media campaigns for the general public and educational activities for health care workers. A variety of outcomes was used to assess the policy impact; changes in antimicrobial resistance rates, changes in levels of antibiotic use, changes in trends of antibiotic use, changes in OTC supply of antibiotics, and changes in reported practices and knowledge of pharmacists, medicine sellers and the general public. Differences in methodological approaches and outcome assessment made it difficult to compare the effectiveness of law enforcement activities. Most effective appeared to be multifaceted approaches that involved all stakeholders. Monitoring of the impact on total sales of antibiotics by means of an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis and analysis of pharmacies selling antibiotics OTC using mystery clients were the methodologically strongest designs used.ConclusionsThe published literature describing activities to enforce prescription-only access to antibiotics in LMICs is sparse and offers limited guidance. Most likely to be effective are comprehensive multifaceted interventions targeting all stakeholders with regular reinforcement of messages. Policy evaluation should be planned as part of implementation to assess the impact and effectiveness of intervention strategies and to identify targets for further activities. Robust study designs such as ITS analyses and mystery client surveys should be used to monitor policy impact.

Prevalence of antibiotic use in a tertiary care hospital in Italy, 2008\u20132016

BackgroundFew data are available about temporal trends of antibiotic use in hospitalized children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the pattern and trends of antibiotic use over the years 2008–2016 in the largest children’s hospital in Italy.MethodsAnnual point prevalence surveys of antibiotic use were conducted by reviewing medical charts of 0–17 year-old children hospitalized for ≥48 h. Prevalence of antibiotic use was computed by year, type of ward and indication. Trends in prevalence over time were evaluated using the Cochrane-Armitage test. Possibile determinants of antibiotic use were assessed at univariate analysis and through a logistic regression model.ResultsOut of 3015 children, 1516 (50.3%) received antibiotics, 58.1% of which for medical/surgical prophylaxis. Prevalence of antibiotic use increased from 42.0% in 2008 to 56.2% in 2016 (p = 0.001). The prevalence of patients receiving antibiotics for medical prophylaxis increased from 6.1% in 2008 to 24.2% in 2016 (p < 0.001), whereas the prevalence of patients receiving antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis significantly decreased (from 13.7 to 11.8%; p = 0.04); no significant temporal trends were found in antibiotic use for treating infections.The administration of third-generation cephalosporins for surgical and medical prophylaxis significantly decreased over time, while the proportion of antibiotics prescribed to treat infections after microbiological investigations significantly increased. Year (ORadj: 1.8 in 2016 compared to 2008, p < 0.001), age (ORadj ≥1.5 in children ≥1 year, compared to infants ≤2 months, p < 0.001), length of stay (LOS) (ORadj: 1.4 in case of LOS between 8 and 30 days compared to LOS ≤ 7 days, p < 0.001), and type of ward (ORadj: ≥1.3 in intensive-care, surgical and medical-subspecialty units compared to medical units, p < 0.001) were significantly and independently associated with antibiotic use.ConclusionsComparing prevalence rates of antibiotic use among hospitals and over time should consider differences in patient characteristics, such as age, ward of hospitalization and length of stay. Over the years, we documented an improvement in the choice of antibiotics prescribed for medical and surgical prophylaxis. However, further efforts are needed to avoid antibiotic misuse for medical prophylaxis, and to reduce the empirical use of broad spectrum antibiotics.

Decreasing trends, and geographical variation in outpatient antibiotic use: a population-based study in Central Denmark

BackgroundAntimicrobial overuse and misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics increases the risk for antimicrobial resistance. Investigating unwarranted variation in antibiotic prescription has therefore gained global priority.MethodsWe examined recent time trends in the utilization of narrow- and broad-spectrum antibiotics as well as the variation in antibiotic use by sex, age, and municipality of residence. Complete individual-level data on all redeemed out-of hospital prescriptions for antibiotics in the entire adult population of Central Denmark (1.3 million inhabitants) was obtained for the period 2006–2015.ResultsFollowing an initial increase of 2% between 2006 and 2011, the overall rate of redeemed prescriptions for antibiotics per 1000 person years declined by 17% between 2011 and 2015. Among persons aged over 65 years, the decline in use began later (from 2013) and was less pronounced. Antibiotic use in 2015 remained substantially higher among females (289/1000 person-years) vs. males (182/1000 person-years) and among the very old (520/1000 person-years in >85y old) vs. middle-aged (204/1000 person-years in 45-65y old). A decreasing trend in antibiotic use over time was observed in all municipalities, mainly due to a decrease in narrow-spectrum antibiotics. However, a striking and unexplained 1.6-fold geographical variation in antibiotic use, including tetracyclines, macrolides and fluoroquinolones remained in 2015. Of concern, among females aged ≥65 years and males aged ≥85 years, a continuous increasing trend in broad-spectrum antibiotic use was observed.ConclusionsAntibiotic use has decreased almost 20% in Central Denmark after 2011, possibly related to a nationwide antibiotic stewardship program in Denmark. However, substantial geographical variation in antibiotic prescription remains and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has increased in adults of older age. Continuous focus on avoiding unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is requested.

Trends in the use of antibiotics among Korean children.

Inappropriate antibiotic use is the most important factor causing increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics, thus affecting patient outcomes. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a serious public health threat, causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Korea, the burden of antibioticresistant bacteria has become an important public health issue. There is increasing evidence of overuse and misuse of antibiotics in Korea, as observed in cohorts with large sample sizes. Antibiotic use among children should receive particular attention because of the frequency of community-associated infections among this population and the elevated risk of transmission. Recent studies from Korea have demonstrated that the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, either for inpatient or outpatient treatment, has increased among many age groups, especially children. In this review, we aim to describe the patterns of antibiotic prescription and evaluate recent trends in antibiotic use among children. Coordinated efforts toward communication and education in order to address misunderstandings regarding antibiotic use, involving interprofessional antimicrobial stewardship programs, are required in the near future.

Trends and patterns of outpatient and inpatient antibiotic use in China's hospitals: data from the Center for Antibacterial Surveillance, 2012-16.

Data surveillance and policy interventions can optimize antibiotic use, but few studies have focused on the changes in antibiotic use after a strict antibiotic stewardship policy was implemented in China in 2012. Based on the Center for Antibacterial Surveillance, data were collected from general hospitals in two provinces of China. Using indicators (e.g. percentage of antibiotic use and proportion of antibiotic costs) recommended by the WHO, this study aimed to identify trends and patterns of systemic antibiotic (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical code J01) use in hospitals in 2012-16 and to explore inappropriate antibiotic use. This study obtained 282479 outpatient prescriptions and 86070 inpatient records from 52 hospitals. The percentage of antibiotic use in outpatients and non-surgical and surgical inpatients significantly declined from 20.17%, 41.92% and 74.15% in 2012 to 12.94%, 33.88% and 69.03% in 2016, respectively. Among antibiotic prescriptions and records, the percentage of antibiotic combination therapy, the percentage of antibiotic use for prophylaxis and the proportion of antibiotic costs showed a decreasing trend over time. However, in 2016, the percentage of antibiotic use for surgical prophylaxis was still >80%, with more than one-third involving inappropriate timing of antibiotic usage according to the predefined criteria. In non-surgical inpatients, the usage rates in acute upper respiratory infections, diarrhoea in children <5 years and fever or cough symptoms all exceeded 55%. A significant downward trend in antibiotic use was identified in China's hospitals, which indicates that policy intervention might reduce the overuse of antibiotics. Furthermore, strengthening appropriate antibiotic use should be the focus of antibiotic stewardship.

Recent Prescription Patterns for Children With Acute Infectious Diarrhea.

This study investigated recent trends in antibiotic use and factors associated with antibiotic use among children with acute infectious diarrhea. We obtained records of outpatients aged under 18 years diagnosed with acute infectious diarrhea from the Japan Medical Data Center database during 2012-2015. We investigated prescription patterns of antibiotics at their initial visit and evaluated factors associated with antibiotic usage using multivariable log-binomial regression models. Overall, we identified 4493 patients diagnosed with acute infectious diarrhea; 29.6% received antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic is fosfomycin (20.3%). In multivariable log-binomial regression analysis, out-of-hour visits, clinical diagnoses of suspected bacterial enterocolitis, private outpatient clinics, and pediatric departments are significantly associated with higher prevalence of antibiotic use. Antibiotics are over-prescribed for children with acute infectious diarrhea. Our investigation provides important information to promote education of physicians and of health policy considerations for appropriate antibiotic prescription practices.

Knowledge, attitude, and awareness of antibiotic resistance among medical students

Background: There is a rising trend in antibiotic use and misuse which contributes to antibiotic resistance. Objective: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and awareness of antibiotic resistance among medical students. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on medical students of all years (year 1–5) in a private university of Malaysia coincide with the “Antibiotic Awareness Week” of the World Health Organization. Results: Students in the clinical phase of their training had more awareness than the preclinical phase on the consumption of antibiotics over the counter without prescription (P = 0.008). Students of both the phases responded differently when asked whether the newer antibiotics were more effective in treating infection (P = 0.022). Only 43.5% of year 4 and 42.3% of year 5 students were aware (P = 0.036) about Antibiotic Awareness Week. Conclusion: The study concludes that medical students should have in-depth knowledge about antibiotic resistance and its underlying mechanisms to prevent the misuse of antibiotics.

622: Trends in antibiotic use with third and fourth degree perineal lacerations

622: Trends in antibiotic use with third and fourth degree perineal lacerations

Trends in Outpatient Antibiotic Use in 3 Health Plans.

Previous analyses of data from 3 large health plans suggested that the substantial downward trend in antibiotic use among children appeared to have attenuated by 2010. Now, data through 2014 from these same plans allow us to assess whether antibiotic use has declined further or remained stable. Population-based antibiotic-dispensing rates were calculated from the same health plans for each study year between 2000 and 2014. For each health plan and age group, we fit Poisson regression models allowing 2 inflection points. We calculated the change in dispensing rates (and 95% confidence intervals) in the periods before the first inflection point, between the first and second inflection points, and after the second inflection point. We also examined whether the relative contribution to overall dispensing rates of common diagnoses for which antibiotics were prescribed changed over the study period. We observed dramatic decreases in antibiotic dispensing over the 14 study years. Despite previous evidence of a plateau in rates, there were substantial additional decreases between 2010 and 2014. Whereas antibiotic use rates decreased overall, the fraction of prescribing associated with individual diagnoses was relatively stable. Prescribing for diagnoses for which antibiotics are clearly not indicated appears to have decreased. These data revealed another period of marked decline from 2010 to 2014 after a relative plateau for several years for most age groups. Efforts to decrease unnecessary prescribing continue to have an impact on antibiotic use in ambulatory practice.

Impact of an infectious diseases specialist-led antimicrobial stewardship programmes on antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in a large Korean hospital

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an infectious diseases specialist (IDS)-led antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) in a large Korean hospital. An interrupted time series analysis assessing the trends in antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance rate of major pathogens between September 2015 and August 2017 was performed in an 859-bed university-affiliated hospital in Korea. The restrictive measure for designated antibiotics led by an IDS reduced carbapenems usage by −4.57 days of therapy (DOT)/1,000 patient-days per month in general wards (GWs) (95% confidence interval [CI], −6.69 to −2.46; P < 0.001), and by −41.50 DOT/1,000 patient-days per month in intensive care units (ICUs) (95% CI, −57.91 to −25.10; P < 0.001). Similarly, glycopeptides usage decreased by −2.61 DOT/1,000 patient-days per month in GWs (95% CI, −4.43 to −0.79; P = 0.007), and −27.41 DOT/1,000 patient-days per month in ICUs (95% CI, −47.03 to −7.79; P = 0.009). Use of 3rd generation cephalosporins, beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors, and fluoroquinolones in GWs showed change comparable with that of carbapenems or glycopeptides use. Furthermore, trends of antimicrobial resistance rate of Staphylococcus aureus to gentamicin in GWs, Staphylococcus aureus to ciprofloxacin and oxacillin in ICUs, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem in ICUs decreased in slope in the intervention period. The in-hospital mortality rate per 1,000 patient-days among ICU patients remained stable between the pre-intervention and intervention periods. In conclusion, an IDS-led ASPs could enact a meaningful reduction in antibiotic use, and a decrease in antibiotic resistance rate, without changing mortality rates in a large Korean hospital.

Microbial Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance in Nepal: Current Trends and Recommendations.

Antimicrobial resistance is a life threatening challenges to the world. Most of the well-known antibiotics are currently ineffective to several microbial diseases. Ampicillin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, gentamicin, and ceftazidime are common antibiotics whose resistance pattern has been elevated in recent years. The rise and dissemination of resistant bacteria has contributed in increasing cases of antimicrobial resistance. Multi-drug Resistant (MDR) organism such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomionas aeruginosa, Escherchia coli, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are principal problems for public health and stakeholders. Globally, issues of antimicrobial resistance are major concern. In the context of Nepal, insufficient surveillance system, lack of appropriate policy, and poor publications regarding the use of antibiotics and its resistance pattern has misled to depict exact scenario of antimicrobial resistance. This mini-review presents current trends of antibiotic use and its resistance pattern in Nepal. In addition, global progression of antibiotic discovery and its resistance has been covered as well. Furthermore, use of antibiotics and possible ways on improvement of effectiveness have been discussed.

Trends in outpatient antibiotic use and prescribing practice among US older adults, 2011-15: observational study

ObjectiveTo identify temporal trends in outpatient antibiotic use and antibiotic prescribing practice among older adults in a high income country.DesignObservational study using United States Medicare administrative claims in 2011-15.SettingMedicare, a...

Trends in antifungal use in US hospitals, 2006-12.

Although trends in antibiotic use have been characterized, less is known about antifungal use. Data on antifungal use are important for understanding practice patterns, assessing emergence of antifungal resistance and developing antifungal stewardship programmes. We estimated national trends in inpatient antifungal use in the USA. Using billing data for antifungals from the Truven Health MarketScan® Hospital Drug Database during 2006-12, we estimated the proportion of discharges at which antifungals were given and days of therapy (DOT)/1000 patient days (PDs) by antifungal drug type, year, patient and facility characteristics. We created national estimates using weights generated from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data and assessed trends over time. Overall, 2.7% of all inpatients and 7.7% of those in ICUs received antifungals. The estimated DOT/1000 PDs for any antifungal was 35.0 for all inpatients and 73.7 for ICU patients. Azoles accounted for 80% of all antifungal use (28.5/1000 PDs), followed by echinocandins (5.0/1000 PDs). By multivariable trend analysis, DOT/1000 PDs for azoles (-21%) and polyenes (-47%) decreased between 2006 and 2012, whereas echinocandins increased 11% during 2006-10 and declined after 2011. Unspecified septicaemia, HIV and antineoplastic therapy were among the top primary diagnosis codes for patients who received antifungals. Antifungals were most frequently used in ICU settings and fluconazole accounted for a large, but declining, proportion of antifungal use. Antifungal stewardship efforts may have the most impact if focused in ICUs, among certain patient groups (e.g. HIV and malignancy) and on stopping empirical antifungal therapy for unspecified sepsis when not indicated.

Antibiotic use in emergency departments of class Ⅲ general hospitals in China

Objective: To investigate the utilization of antibiotics in emergency departments (EDs) of class Ⅲ general hospitals in China. Methods: Data from a national monitoring network for rational use of drugs was used. The data included prescriptions of EDs from 114 class Ⅲ general hospitals in 30 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) of China. A total of 10 260 595 prescriptions from October 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 were extracted. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification/Defined Daily Dose (DDD) system was used for the classification of antibiotics and calculation of antibiotic use intensity. An auto-regression model was used to analyze the trend over time and seasonal variation of antibiotic use in EDs. Results: The rate of antibiotic prescriptions was 27.82% in EDs, among the antibiotics prescribed, 25.58% were for the combination therapy with 2 or more antibiotic agents, and injectable antibiotic prescriptions accounted for 60.59%. Besides, the number of DDDs per 100 patient visits was 81.84. Broad-spectrum agents were the most commonly used antibiotics, among which the second and third generation cephalosporins, quinolones and macrolides accounted for 23.83%, 21.68%, 19.17% and 7.89% of all prescribed antibiotics, respectively. The use of antibiotics, including prescription frequency and use intensity, in EDs had a slight but significant increase tendency (P<0.05), and the seasonal variation of antibiotic use in EDs was obvious, characterized by the highest frequency and intensity of antibiotic use in winter, the differences were significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: The antibiotic prescription rate in EDs of classⅢ general hospitals in China was controlled at a low level, but the proportions of broad-spectrum antibiotics and injectable antibiotics were high, and a significant increase trend in antibiotic use in EDs was found.

Outpatient antibiotic use in Dutch infants after 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine introduction: a time-series analysis

ObjectiveThis population-based cohort study assesses the impact of switching from a 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) to a 10-valent PCV on outpatient antibiotic use in Dutch infants, and whether geographical...

A few antibiotics can represent the total hospital antibiotic consumption

BackgroundAppropriate antibiotic use has become an important issue. However, collecting data on the use of all antibiotics in a hospital is difficult without an advanced computerized system and dedicated staff. This paper examines if 1–3 antibiotics can satisfactorily represent the total antibiotic consumption at the hospital level.MethodsWe collected antibiotic data from six large university hospitals in Korea for some years between 2004 and 2012. Since the total antibiotics consist of a few chosen representative antibiotics and the rest, we used those chosen antibiotics along with additional variables constructed only with t (time) such as t, t2, and t3 to capture the time trend and whether t belongs to each month or not to capture the monthly variations. The ordinary least squares method was used to explain the total antibiotic amount with these variables, and then the estimated model was employed to predict the use for 2013. To determine which antibiotics were the most representative in tracking general trends in antibiotic use over time, we tried various combinations of antibiotics to find the combination that best minimized the 2013 prediction error.ResultsWe found that fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides were the most representative, followed by beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors and 4th-generation and 3rd-generation cephalosporins. The mean prediction error over 12 months in 2013 with these few antibiotics was only 1–3% of the monthly antibiotic consumption amount.ConclusionsThe total antibiotic consumption amount at the hospital level can be represented sufficiently by a few antibiotics, such as fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides, which means that hospitals can save resources by tracing only the usage of those few antibiotics instead of the entire inventory. Since the choice of fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides is based solely on our Korean data, other hospitals may follow the same modelling methodology to find their own representative antibiotics.

Antimicrobial stewardship in the neonatal unit reduces antibiotic exposure.

Antimicrobial stewardship plays an important role in ensuring that the appropriate drug, dose, route and duration are employed to provide adequate treatment while minimising the risks of unnecessary antibiotic use. Surveillance of antibiotic use with prescriber feedback is recommended as a high-impact stewardship intervention. The aim of this study was to reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use in a neonatal unit. A prospective audit was performed to assess compliance with antimicrobial guidelines. Following this, educational interventions were applied, electronic prescribing was introduced to the neonatal unit, and re-audit was performed. The primary outcome was a reduction in days of therapy (DOT). There were 312 neonatal admissions. There was a significant overall reduction in the primary outcome of DOT/1000 patient days from 572 to 417 DOT. This represents a 27% reduction in total antibiotic use. Prolonged antibiotic treatment courses >36hours in negative sepsis evaluations were reduced from 82 DOT to 7.5 DOT. Similarly, treatment courses greater than five days for culture-negative sepsis were reduced from 46.5 DOT to 7 DOT. Monitoring antibiotic prescribing data can provide useful insights into the trends of antibiotic use and also inform clinicians of potential areas where antibiotic use may be safely reduced.