Unnecessary antibiotic treatment of children hospitalized with RSV-bronchiolitis: risk factors and prescription patterns: Risk factors for antibiotic misuse in children with RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a main cause of respiratory tract infections, especially affecting young children. Antibiotics are often unnecessarily prescribed for the treatment of RSV. Such treatments affect antibiotic resistance in future bacterial infections of treated patients and the general population.

Unnecessary antibiotic treatment in RSV patients was highly common and may be largely attributed to the physicians’ perception of patients’ severity. Improving prescription guidelines, implementing antibiotic stewardship programs and utilizing decision support systems may help achieve a better balance between prescribing and withholding antibiotic treatment.