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Using Rapid Diagnostic Tests to Optimize Antimicrobial Selection in Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs
Author(s) -
Goff Debra A.,
Jankowski Christopher,
Tenover Fred C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.2012.01137.x
Subject(s) - antimicrobial stewardship , antimicrobial , intensive care medicine , medicine , identification (biology) , stewardship (theology) , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , antibiotic resistance , antibiotics , political science , botany , politics , law
New advances in rapid diagnostic tests provide several collaborative opportunities for stewardship teams, particularly in processes where delay in the initiation of appropriate therapy has significant consequences for patient outcomes. Rapid molecular tests enhance one of the key functions of microbiology laboratories, which is to produce accurate organism identification and timely antimicrobial susceptibility testing data. These data are used to guide the choice of antimicrobial agents for treating infections in individual patients, and the aggregate data (i.e., hospital's antibiogram) are used to guide empiric therapy for infections before the availability of the patient's culture results and antimicrobial susceptibility testing data. In addition, accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing data are critical for the overall success of a health care institution's antimicrobial stewardship program. Tests that provide accurate organism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility not only benefit the individual patient but also increase the effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship program s. This review focuses on the use of molecular diagnostic methods to rapidly identify S taphylococcus species, E nterococcus faecalis , E nterococcus faecium, E scherichia coli , K lebsiella pneumoniae , P seudomonas aeruginosa , C lostridium difficile , and C andida species from clinical samples and summarizes studies that describe the application of rapid diagnostic tests in antimicrobial stewardship programs.