Analyzing Antibiotic Utilization Patterns and Antibiogram Assessment in Viral Fever, Lower Respiratory Infections, and Dengue cases: A Clinical Study

Abstract

Background: Antibiotics are successful in combating most types of infections. Irrational use and higher consumption of antibiotics can give rise to antibiotic resistance globally. Objectives: To evaluate antibiotic prescribing patterns and antibiograms in infectious disease cases admitted to hospitals. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted from the period of July 2019 to February 2020 among in-patients at the hospital. Data was analysed by the mean and percentages using Microsoft excel tool. Results: Out of 250 admitted patients Males and females were 156 (62%) and 85 (43%), respectively. The majority of patients (79, or 32%) belonged to the age group of 20–40 years. Majority of prescriptions reported in the Viral fever (48), lower respiratory tract infection (40) and Dengue (33). Antibiotics administered through intravenous route and by oral route were 301 and 63 respectively. The most frequently utilized antibiotics were beta-lactams such as Ceftriaxone (60%) and the fixed dose combination amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (26%). The next-highest percentages were metronidazole (52%), azithromycin (36%), and levofloxacin (24%). In Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli (6, 30%) contributed major growth, while in Gram-positive Coagulase-negative staphylococci (6, 30%) contributed the highest growth of bacteria for the specific infections in the admitted cases. Conclusions: Ceftriaxone (60%) and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (29%) were highly prescribed among all antibiotics followed by metronidazole (21%). Infectious agents such as Escherichia coli (6–30%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (6–30%) contributed majorly as causative factors for infectious diseases.