ABSTRACT Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in dentistry has been widely reported but local studies are scarce. We aimed to evaluate antibiotic prescribing practices among dental officers in a public dental primary care clinic against current guidelines: specifically assessing the number, appropriateness, accuracy of prescriptions, type of antibiotics prescribed and repeated prescribing of the same type of antibiotics within a specific duration. A retrospective audit consisting of two cycles (1st cycle: July to September 2018, 2nd cycle: July to September 2019) was carried out by manually collecting relevant data of patients (aged 18 and above) who were prescribed antibiotics from carbon copies of prescription books. Between each cycle, various interventions such as education through a continuous professional development (CPD) session, presentation of preliminary findings and making guidelines more accessible to dental officers were implemented. When the 1st and 2nd cycles were compared, the number of antibiotic prescriptions issued reduced from 194 to 136 (–30.0%) whereas the percentage of appropriate prescriptions increased slightly by 4.1%. Inaccurate prescriptions in terms of dosage and duration decreased (–0.5% and –13.7%, respectively) whilst drug form and frequency of intake increased (+15.7% and +0.7%, respectively). Repeated prescribing of the same antibiotics by the same officer within a period of ≤6 weeks no longer occurred. Amoxicillin and metronidazole were most commonly prescribed in both cycles. Overall, the antibiotic prescribing practices did not closely adhere to current guidelines. However, clinical audit in conjunction with targeted interventions resulted in improvement in the antibiotic prescribing patterns. Thus, further intervention and re-audit is necessary.
Anti-Bacterial Agents--administration & ; dosage ; Dental Clinics ; Clinical Audit

BACKGROUNDS: Azithromycin mass drug administration (MDA) is a key part of the strategy for controlling trachoma. This systematic review aimed to comprehensively summarize the present studies of azithromycin MDA on trachoma; provide an overview of the impact of azithromycin MDA on trachoma in different districts; and explore the possible methods to enhance the effectiveness of azithromycin MDA in hyperendemic districts. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched up to February 2021 with no language restriction. Studies reporting the effect of azithromycin MDA on trachoma were included. Mathematical modeling studies, animal studies, case reports, and reviews were excluded. The trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) <5.0% was used to judge the effect of azithromycin MDA on eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. Two researchers independently conducted the selection process and risk of bias assessment. RESULTS: A total of 1543 studies were screened, of which 67 studies including 13 cluster-randomized controlled trials and 54 non-randomized studies were included. The effect of azithromycin MDA on trachoma was closely related to the baseline prevalence in districts. For the districts with baseline prevalence between 5.0% and 9.9%, a single round of MDA achieved a TF <5.0%. For the districts with baseline between 10.0% and 29.9%, annual MDA for 3 to 5 years reduced TF <5.0%. However, for the districts with high level of baseline prevalence (TF >30.0%), especially with baseline TF >50.0%, annual MDA was unable to achieve the TF <5.0% even after 5 to 7 years of treatment. Quarterly MDA is more effective in controlling trachoma in these hyperendemic districts. CONCLUSIONS Azithromycin MDA for controlling trachoma depends on the baseline prevalence. The recommendation by the World Health Organization that annual MDA for 3 to 5 years in the districts with TF baseline >10.0% is not appropriate for all eligible districts.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Azithromycin/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Infant ; Mass Drug Administration ; Prevalence ; Trachoma/epidemiology*

In this paper, we review the results of previous studies and summarize the effects of various factors on the regulation of bone metabolism in traumatic bone infections. Infection-related bone destruction incorporates pathogens and iatrogenic factors in the process of bone resorption dominated by the skeletal and immune systems. The development of bone immunology has established a bridge of communication between the skeletal system and the immune system. Exploring the effects of pathogens, skeletal systems, immune systems, and antibacterials on bone repair in infectious conditions can help improve the treatment of these diseases.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage* ; Bone and Bones/metabolism* ; Cellular Microenvironment ; Humans ; Immune System/immunology* ; Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology* ; Osteitis/microbiology* ; Osteoblasts/physiology* ; Osteoclasts/physiology* ; Staphylococcal Infections

Intra-abdominal infection (IAI) is a deadly condition in which the outcome is associated with urgent diagnosis, assessment and management, including fluid resuscitation, antibiotic administration while obtaining further laboratory results, attaining precise measurements of hemodynamic status, and pursuing source control. This last item makes abdominal sepsis a unique treatment challenge. Delayed or inadequate source control is an independent predictor of poor outcomes and recognizing source control failure is often difficult or impossible. Further complicating issue in the debate is surrounding the timing, adequacy, and procedures of source control. This review evaluated and summarized the current approach and challenges in IAI management, which are the future research directions.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage* ; Drainage ; Fluid Therapy ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intraabdominal Infections/therapy* ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Prognosis ; Sepsis

PURPOSE: To identify causative agents of the drug-induced anaphylaxis (DIA) by using the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management-Korea Adverse Event Reporting System (KIDS-KAERS) database (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) in Korea and to check their labeling information regarding anaphylaxis.METHODS: Among Individual Case Safety Reports from January, 2008 to December 2017, cases of DIA were analyzed for demographics, causative agents and fatal cases resulting in death. The domestic drug labeling, Micromedex and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug package insert, were reviewed to check if the labeling information on suspected causative agents contains anaphylaxis.RESULTS: A total of 4,700 cases of DIA were analyzed. The mean age was 49.85±18.32 years, and 2,642 patients (56.2%) were females. Among 8,664 drugs reported as causative agents, antibiotics (27.4%) accounted for the largest portion. There were 18 fatal cases: antibiotics (7 cases), antineoplastic agents (4 cases) were the major causative drugs for the mortality cases. Of 513 drugs reported as suspected causative agents, 103 (20.1%) did not list anaphylaxis as an adverse effect on domestic drug labeling and 16 (3.1%) did not reflect anaphylaxis in any of 3 adverse drug information.CONCLUSION: Analysis of 10-year data showed that antibiotics were the main cause of DIA and the mortality rate was 0.7%. In 3.1% of suspected drugs, there was no description of anaphylaxis in any of the drug labeling.
Anaphylaxis ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Demography ; Drug Labeling ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pharmacovigilance ; United States Food and Drug Administration

administration (RR=1.81) and previous AAD episodes (RR=1.87). Abdominal pain occurred in 27/289 (9.3%), particularly in children >6 years (RR=4.15), with previous abdominal pain (RR=7.2) or constipation (RR=4.06). Constipation was recorded in 23/289 (8.0%), with increased risk in children having surgery (RR=2.56) or previous constipation (RR=7.38). Probiotic supplementation significantly reduced AAD (RR=0.30) and abdominal pain (RR=0.36). Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and L. reuteri significantly reduced AAD (RR=0.37 and 0.35) and abdominal pain (RR=0.37 and 0.24).CONCLUSION: AAD occurred in 20.4% of children, with increased risk at younger age, lower respiratory and urinary tract infections, intravenous treatment and previous AAD. LGG and L. reuteri reduced both AAD and associated abdominal pain.]]>
Abdominal Pain ; Administration, Intravenous ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Constipation ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Lactobacillus reuteri ; Lactobacillus rhamnosus ; Probiotics ; Prospective Studies ; Protective Factors ; Urinary Tract Infections

Severe and critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were usually with underlying diseases, which led to the problems of complicated drug use, potential drug-drug interactions and medication errors in special patients. Based on ( 6), and -19: , we summarized the experience in the use of antiviral drugs, corticosteroids, vascular active drugs, antibacterial, probiotics, nutrition support schemes in severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients. It is also suggested to focus on medication management for evaluation of drug efficacy and duration of treatment, prevention and treatment of adverse drug reactions, identification of potential drug-drug interactions, individualized medication monitoring based on biosafety protection, and medication administration for special patients.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Betacoronavirus ; isolation & purification ; Coronavirus Infections ; drug therapy ; Critical Illness ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Nutritional Support ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; drug therapy ; Probiotics ; administration & dosage

INTRODUCTION: Timely administration of prophylactic antibiotics within 60 minutes before surgical incision is important for reducing surgical site infections. This quality improvement initiative aimed to work towards achieving 100% compliance with perioperative antibiotic administration. METHODS: We examined the workflow in our Anaesthesia Information Management System (AIMS) and proposed interventions using cause-and-effect analysis of anonymised anaesthetic records from eligible surgical cases extracted from AIMS. This ultimately led to the implementation of an antibiotic pop-up reminder. The overall process was done in a few small plan-do-study-act cycles involving raising awareness, education and reorganisation of AIMS before implementation of the antibiotic pop-up reminder. Data analysis took place from August 2014 to September 2016. Compliance was defined as documented antibiotic administration within 60 minutes before surgical incision, or as documented reason for omission. RESULTS: The median monthly compliance rate, for 33,038 cases before and 28,315 cases after the reminder was implemented, increased from 67.0% at baseline to 94.5%. This increase was consistent and sustained for a year despite frequent personnel turnover. Documentation of antibiotic administration also improved from 81.7% to 99.3%, allowing us to identify and address novel problems that were initially not apparent, and resulting in several department recommendations. These included administering antibiotics later for cases with predicted longer-than-expected preparation times and bringing forward antibiotic administration in lower-segment Caesarean sections. CONCLUSION The use of information technology and implementation of an antibiotic pop-up reminder on AIMS streamlined our work processes and brought us closer to achieving 100% on-time compliance with perioperative antibiotic administration.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; methods ; Documentation ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Electronic Health Records ; Guideline Adherence ; Humans ; Perioperative Period ; Quality Improvement ; Reminder Systems ; Software ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; standards ; Surgical Wound Infection ; prevention & control

The persistent antibiotics resistant issue has emerged as an influencing factor to deteriorate community health. So, new antibiotics development is urgent for the treatment of bacterial infections. Alternatively, delafloxacin is an eminent new fluoroquinolone, and chemically distinct from older fluoroquinolones. There is lack of proton substituent that indicates the poor acidic property of the drug. It also has a good intracellular penetration capacity that increases the intensity of the bactericidal property in acidic environment. Delafloxacin is a super active drug against the skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) and community-acquired respiratory tract infections. Delafloxacin also exhibits better efficacy against pathogens which are resistant to other fluoroquinolones, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Delafloxacin received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSI). Phase III clinical trial among patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is ongoing to evaluate the effectiveness of delafloxacin. From the aforementioned arguments, delafloxacin will be a prominent candidate for the upcoming antibacterial agent. Similarly, delafloxacin can be a crucial drug to fight against ABSSI.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Fluoroquinolones ; Humans ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Pneumonia ; Protons ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; United States Food and Drug Administration

Despite the continuous improvement in perioperative use of antibiotics and aseptic techniques, the incidence of infection continues to rise as the need for surgery increasing and brings great challenges to orthopedic surgery. The rough or porous structure of the prosthesis provides an excellent place for bacterial adhesion, proliferation and biofilm formation, which is the main cause of infection. Traditional antibiotic therapy and surgical debridement are difficult to determine whether the infected focus have been removed completely and whether the infection will recur. In recent years, nanotechnology has shown obvious advantages in biomaterials and drug delivery. Nano drug carriers can effectively achieve local antimicrobial therapy, prevent surgical infection by local sustained drug release or intelligent controlled drug release under specific stimuli, and reduce the toxic side effects of drugs. The unique advantages of nanotechnology provide new ideas and options for the prevention and treatment of periprosthetic infection. At present, the application of nano-technology in the prevention and treatment of infection can be divided into the addition of nano-drug-loaded materials to prosthesis materials, the construction of drug-loaded nano-coatings on the surface of prosthesis, the perfusable nano-antimicrobial drug carriers, and the stimulation-responsive drug controlled release system. This article reviews the methods of infection prevention and treatment in orthopaedic surgery, especially the research status of nanotechnology in the prevention and treatment of periprosthetic infection.
Anti-Infective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Bacterial Adhesion ; Drug Carriers ; Humans ; Nanotechnology ; Orthopedics ; Prosthesis-Related Infections ; prevention & control