Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tropical Infectious Diseases: Focusing on Dengue and Malaria
Issued Date
2022-08-01
Resource Type
eISSN
24146366
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85136982625
Journal Title
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
Volume
7
Issue
8
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Vol.7 No.8 (2022)
Suggested Citation
Siribhadra A., Ngamprasertchai T., Rattanaumpawan P., Lawpoolsri S., Luvira V., Pitisuttithum P. Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tropical Infectious Diseases: Focusing on Dengue and Malaria. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Vol.7 No.8 (2022). doi:10.3390/tropicalmed7080159 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/84939
Title
Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tropical Infectious Diseases: Focusing on Dengue and Malaria
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) is the presenting symptom of various tropical and infectious diseases. Viral infection is generally the most common cause of AUFI, accounting for 8–11.8% of cases; thus, antibiotics might be unnecessary. Dengue and malaria are common tropical infectious diseases requiring effective supportive treatment and antimalarial agents, respectively. The uncertainty of early diagnosis results in widespread empirical antimicrobial treatment in high -income as well as in low-and middle-income countries. Although rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been shown to limit antibiotic prescriptions in dengue and malaria, we observed a wide range of antibiotic prescriptions for 13–92.7% of cases in previous literature, particularly in RDT-negative malaria cases. Given several RDT limitations, antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) appears to be an effective strategy for controlling unnecessary antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prevention. This program should be endorsed by a multidisciplinary team in tropical diseases to control collateral damage of inappropriate antimicrobial use. Empirical antibiotic treatment should be administered based on clinical judgement, microbiological evidence, and local epidemiological data. Rapid termination of antibiotic therapy, including disease control or elimination, is the mainstay of AMS in tropical diseases. Local and international sectors should implement an AMS programme to reduce AMR in the Tropics.