Antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance in the COVID-19 era: Perspective from resource-limited settings
International Journal of Infectious Diseases·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.12.087
- PMID
- 33434666
- PMCID
- PMC7796801
- OpenAlex
- W3120081043
- Study type
- Commentary
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The commentary emphasizes the need for improved antimicrobial stewardship and infection control in developing countries, and calls for studies to evaluate worldwide antimicrobial resistance evolution during the pandemic, particularly where resistance data are scarce and treatment resources suboptimal.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This commentary examines antibiotic consumption and antimicrobial resistance challenges in resource-limited settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, with emphasis on the difficulty of distinguishing bacterial from viral infections and the need for stewardship programs.
Study design
Commentary article discussing clinical and public health challenges related to antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in low and middle income countries during the COVID-19 era.
Population and setting
COVID-19 patients in low and middle income countries where diagnostic resources for bacterial pathogen identification are limited and conditions favor pathogen transmission.
Main findings
The abstract notes increased antibiotic consumption globally following COVID-19 dissemination, driven by concerns about bacterial superinfection. It highlights diagnostic challenges in LMIC and observes growing awareness of antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention measures that may reduce pathogen circulation and antimicrobial resistance dissemination.
Public-health relevance
The commentary emphasizes the need for improved antimicrobial stewardship and infection control in developing countries, and calls for studies to evaluate worldwide antimicrobial resistance evolution during the pandemic, particularly where resistance data are scarce and treatment resources suboptimal.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. The commentary format does not report primary data, and the abstract does not provide explicit study limitations. Full interpretation requires review of the original article.
GIDS interpretation
This article was identified through classifier links for COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance, transmission dynamics, and treatment. As a commentary, it provides expert perspective on antibiotic stewardship challenges in resource-limited settings rather than surveillance or outbreak data.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 10 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.