Compared to in-person visits, virtual visits were associated with improved antibiotic prescribing practices for women with uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

Community-acquired pneumonia is a common cause for hospital admission. This article serves to summarize new updates in the definition, prognosis, and treatment, specifically of bacterial, severe community-acquired pneumonia.

In a multicenter, cluster-randomized crossover trial, researchers compared standard precautions vs. contact isolation for preventing acquisition of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in non-intensive care unit settings. Contact isolation did not decrease the number of hospital-acquired ESBL-E cases, which questions the value of the practice.

Approximately one-tenth of asymptomatic patients with Clostridioides difficile colonization went on to develop disease. A wide range of antibiotic exposures represent a significant risk.

A retrospective cohort study found that broad-spectrum antibiotics were unnecessarily prescribed to patients with community-onset sepsis and was associated with worse outcomes and higher mortality.

Clostridioides difficile infections are declining in U.S. hospitals, as measures over the last decade to reign in antibiotic use and improve infection control appear to be working.

Two-thirds of general medicine patients with pneumonia received excess antibiotic therapy, with 93.2% of the unnecessary duration occurring after hospital discharge. Excess antibiotic therapy did not improve mortality or morbidity outcomes, although each additional antibiotic day was associated with 3% increased odds of antibiotic-associated adverse drug events.

Antimicrobial stewardship is the responsibility of everyone involved in the care of critically ill and hospitalized patients. This review discusses some of the key principles and practices of successful antimicrobial stewardship programs, particularly as they relate to critical care.