Abstract
Antibiotic therapy for hospital infections should incorporate at least two different aspects:(1) therapeutic success in individual patients and (2) preventing the emergence of antibiotic-resistant mutants. To reduce the emergence of antibiotic-resistant hospital strains, several strategies should be employed: lowering antibiotic consumption by not treating healthy carriers; stopping treatment when an infection is cured (when cultures are negative and further infection is unlikely) or has not been diagnosed; not overusing any antibiotic class to reduce selection pressure; and using sufficient antibiotic doses to prevent the selection of first-step mutants. The trend towards increased antibiotic resistance requires a more prudent use of antimicrobial drugs in the treatment of hospital infections. Simultaneously, preventing the transmission of resistant organisms from one person to another is critical to successful preventive efforts.
