What is the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs)? The results of a survey among a regional network of infectious disease centres
Agnese Comelli, Camilla Genovese, Andrea Lombardi, Chiara Bobbio, Luigia Scudeller, Umberto Restelli, Antonio Muscatello, Spinello Antinori, Paolo Bonfanti, Salvatore Casari, Antonella Castagna, Francesco Castelli, Antonella d’Arminio Monforte, Fabio Franzetti, Paolo Grossi, Matteo Lupi, Paola Morelli, Stefania Piconi, Massimo Puoti, Luigi Pusterla, Angelo Regazzetti, Marco Rizzi, Stefano Rusconi, Valentina Zuccaro, Andrea Gori, Alessandra Bandera, the ASP Lomb Study Group, Andrea Giacomelli, Marianna Rossi, Raffaele Bruno, Silvia Garilli, Ripa Marco, Liana Signorini, Francesca Bai, Angelo Pan, Marco Merli, D. Ricaboni, Chiara Molteni, Simone Vasilij Benatti, Barbara Castiglioni, Cristina Rovelli, Manuela Piazza, Marco Franzetti
Abstract
Discontinuation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) and increased antibiotic use were described during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In order to measure COVID-19 impact on ASPs in a setting of high multidrug resistance organisms (MDRO) prevalence, a qualitative survey was designed. In July 2021, eighteen ID Units were asked to answer a questionnaire about their hospital characteristics, ASPs implementation status before the pandemic and impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ASPs after the 1st and 2nd pandemic waves in Italy. Nine ID centres (50%) reported a reduction of ASPs and in 7 cases (38.9%) these were suspended. After the early pandemic waves, the proportion of centres that restarted their ASPs was higher among the ID centres where antimicrobial stewardship was formally identified as a priority objective (9/11, 82%, vs 2/7, 28%). SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a severe impact in ASPs in a region highly affected by COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance but weaknesses related to the pre-existent ASPs might have played a role.