National Trends in Antibiotic Prescribing for Adults Hospitalized With Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Other Viral Respiratory Infections

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Over 80% of COVID-19 patients received antibiotics at the pandemic's onset, with nearly 70% for other viral ARTIs.
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Antibiotic prescribing for COVID-19 stabilized around 35% from 2022 to 2023, while other viral ARTIs returned to 2019 patterns.
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More than 50% of patients hospitalized with viral ARTIs receive potentially unnecessary antibiotics.
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Unnecessary antibiotic use poses risks of adverse drug events and contributes to antibiotic resistance.
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The study highlights the need for improved antimicrobial stewardship to address ongoing antibiotic overuse.

Open Forum Infectious Diseases

by Michael S Pulia, Meggie Griffin, Rebecca J Schwei, Aurora Pop-Vicas, Lucas Schulz, Meng-Shiou Shieh, Penelope Pekow, Peter K Lindenauer
February 3, 2025

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