Antibiotic Dispensing During First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic In Brazilian Public Hospitals

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the impact of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic dispensation in three Brazilian hospitals. Methods: Stock movement was accessed from pharmacy databases and microbiological reports from 2018 to 2021. Results: Reduced antibiotic dispensation occurred during 2020 in all hospitals. The most significant reduction was in April at Hospital Doutor Jayme dos Santos Neves (58%), and in May at Hospital Doutor Roberto Arnizaut Silvares (66%) and Hospital Doutor Dório Silva (29%). However, azithromycin dispensation increased in all hospitals in 2020. Macrolide-resistant bacterial isolates rose from 66.6% in 2019 to 77.1% in 2020 and 88.3% in 2021. Conclusion: Despite reduced antibiotic dispensation, the increase in azithromycin consumption in 2020 highlights the urgency to monitor macrolide resistance after the pandemic and improve stewardship activities.

Graphical abstract

Keywords::

• antibacterial agents
• azithromycin
• Brazil
• COVID-19
• drug resistance
• infection control
• macrolides
• pandemics
• pharmacies

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fmb-2022-0255

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the health professionals of the Hospital Jayme dos Santos Neves (Ermelindo Prates and Diógenes da Silva Araújo), Hospital Doutor Dório Silva (Bárbara Ellen Santos Carvalhais) and Hospital Doutor Roberto Arnizaut Silvares (Rodrigo Altoé Chagas) for help with data collection during this research. Thanks to the Capixaba Institute for Health Education, Research and Innovation of the Health Secretary of the State of Espírito Santo for authorizing this research.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES; finance code 001). In addition, MLS Pereira received a scholarship from CAPES, Brazil. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES; finance code 001). In addition, MLS Pereira received a scholarship from CAPES, Brazil. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.