The aim of the Toolbox is to provide inspiration and guidance on what can be done to address the pressing issue, based on scientific evidence and experiences gathered from those working in the field across the globe. The Toolbox is built on what has been done in the past in a variety of settings and
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is aligned with ongoing and current initiatives. Throughout the Toolbox, a narrative text guides the user on how to work with the problem, combining practical advice with examples from the field, and providing links to external resources. Many resources can be adapted and implemented in a variety of contexts.
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The toolkit provides guidance on where to get started, including the structures and resources that should be put in place at the national and health-care facility level, through a stepwise approach in low-resource settings. As the ultimate goal of an AMS programme is sustainable behaviour change in
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physicians’ antibiotic prescribing practices, the toolkit also provides detailed guidance on how to plan, perform and assess AMS interventions – including feedback on antibiotic use over time. Finally, the toolkit provides an overview of the competencies an AMS team needs to guide health-care professionals in changing their antibiotic prescribing behaviours.
Please note that this course is part of a training package, so please register for the complementary course WHO Policy Guidance on Integrated Antimicrobial Stewardship Activities so that you can complete your learning journey.
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Learn what antibiotic resistance is and how to prevent it while increasing productivity among your livestock - This course is for livestock keepers and professionals working in the livestock production sector (such as veterinarians and advisors) in
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low-income countries and emerging economies worldwide. The course might also be of interest for agricultural authorities in those countries.
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Report for the WHO Meningitis Guideline Revision (May 2014)
Antimicrobial agents like antibiotics are essential to treat some human and animal diseases. Microbes, such as bacteria, can develop resistance to antimicrobials meaning that a drug such as an antibiotic is no longer effective in treating the infect
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ion. The development of resistance is caused by the incorrect use of these drugs, for example, using antibiotics (which help to treat bacteria) for viral infections like flu, or as a growth promoter in agriculture.
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Policy Brief November 2021 Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese
The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled the ongoing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) global crisis due to the increase in the use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients, disruptions
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to infection prevention and control practices in overwhelmed health systems, and diversion of human and financial resources away from monitoring and responding to AMR threats. Moreover, AMR is likely to have caused more COVID-19 deaths, as secondary bacterial infections can worsen the outcome of severe and critical COVID-19 illness. Therefore, it is more urgent than ever to prioritize efforts towards AMR containment and support countries to improve the detection, characterization and rapid response to emerging AMR.
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Most of the global burden of sepsis occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but the prevalence and etiology of sepsis in LMICs are not well understood. In particular, the lack of laboratory infrastructure in many LMICs has historically precluded an assessment of the pathogens leading to
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sepsis. A recent systematic review found that data describing antimicrobial resistance were absent for 43% of countries in Africa, and only two countries have national antimicrobial resistance plans. In addition, small studies have identified indiscriminate antibiotic use both in and out of hospital settings in sub-Saharan Africa. The absence of microbiological data and lack of antibiotic stewardship complicate sepsis management and almost certainly worsens outcomes, particularly in low-resource systems. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence, etiology, and outcomes of sepsis among a cohort of critically ill patients in a referral hospital of Malawi, with a focus on the prevalence of culture-confirmed bacteremia and urinary tract infections.
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ResistanceMap is an interactive collection of charts and maps that summarize national and subnational data on antimicrobial use and resistance worldwide.
The GEHM series is an evidence-informed normative product of the WHO
Health and Migration Programme to inform policy-makers on migrationrelated public health priorities. These reviews aim to respond to policy questions identified as priorities by summarizing the best available evidence worldwide an
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d proposing policy considerations. By addressing data gaps on the health status of refugees and migrants, the GEHM series aims to support evidenceinformed policy-making and targeted interventions that are impactful and make a difference in the lives of these populations.
This Report, the fourth in the GEHM series reviews the available evidence on barriers to antibiotic access and appropriate use in refugees and migrants. It finds that the available evidence on refugees’ and migrants’ access to and use of antibiotics is scarce and is largely constrained to high-income contexts.
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CDC’s Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs suggests that pharmacists review antibiotic therapy that is unnecessarily duplicative, including the
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use of agents with overlapping spectra. The combination of two agents with anaerobic activity is unnecessary in most cases. Exceptions may include Clostridioides difficile infection, necrotizing fasciitis, and certain biliary infections.
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Veterinarians are leaders and stewards in preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics for animals and people. Working with animal owners and producers, veterinarians can slow antibiotic resistance by implementing disease prevention strategies and im
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proving the use of antibiotics while also guaranteeing high-quality medical care for animal patients.
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Be Antibiotics Aware - Smart Use, Best Care
The NICE guideline NG114 provides recommendations on antimicrobial therapy for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), aiming to optimize antibiotic use and minimize the
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development of antibiotic resistance.
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Spectrum is a mobile app that can be customized to deliver local antimicrobial stewardship resources in any hospital.
Spectrum delivers all of your clinical pathways directly to the point of care. Each guideline is presented in an algorithmic format for ease of
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use and can incorporate individualized patient factors to provide tailored recommendations
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Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) describes a coherent set of actions that ensure optimal use of antimicrobials to improve patient outcomes, while limiting the risk of adverse events (including antimicrobial resistance (AMR)). Introduction of AMS prog
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rammes in hospitals is part of most national action plans to mitigate AMR, yet the optimal components and actions of such a programme remain undetermined.
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The NICE guideline on antimicrobial prescribing for acute exacerbations of COPD provides recommendations for optimizing antibiotic use to treat exacerbations effectively while minimizing the risk of
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antimicrobial resistance. It includes criteria for assessing the need for antibiotics, guidance on selecting antibiotics, and considerations for reassessment and follow-up care.
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Objective To determine whether adding urine culture to urinary tract infection diagnosis in pregnant women from refugee camps in
Lebanon reduced unnecessary antibiotic use.
This book provides a perfect companion to BSAC’s FREE Massive Open Online Course on Antimicrobial Stewardship, which is available in English, Mandarin, Spanish, and Russian. Visit www.futurelearn.com/courses/antimicrobial-stewardship for details.
Please download the complete e-book form the websi
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te (Large File 41 MB!)
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