ABSTRACT
Rational antibiotic use Overuse of antibiotics is an important driver of antibiotic resistance. Unnecessary antibiotic use is also costly and carries the risk of side-effects. Rational antibiotic use can be promoted through education and audit. Good antibiotic prescribing principles include using narrow-spectrum agents and short durations of treatment when possible, avoiding antibiotics for likely viral infections, and rationalizing antibiotic prescriptions in light of microbiology results.
