The Pediatric infectious disease journal
-
Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. · Dec 1999
Antimicrobial use in febrile children diagnosed with respiratory tract illness in an emergency department.
In an era of increasing antibiotic resistance, the prevalence of antibiotic usage and associated factors should be ascertained to optimize their use. We set out to determine the prevalence of antibiotic use in febrile children diagnosed with respiratory tract illnesses at a children's hospital emergency department; to determine how often viral studies were conducted; and to identify patient characteristics associated with antibiotic use. ⋯ Antibiotics were commonly prescribed for pharyngitis, bronchiolitis and reactive airway disease, which are conditions principally caused by viruses. Addressing reasons why there is a difference between guidelines and antibiotic use in these conditions may be important.