Are insect bites responsible for the rise in summer flucloxacillin prescribing in United Kingdom general practices?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Insect bite inflammation may mimic cellulitis and promote unnecessary antibiotic usage, contributing to antimicrobial resistance in primary care. We wondered how general practice clinicians assess and manage insect bites, diagnose cellulitis, and prescribe antibiotics.

Method

This is a Quality Improvement study in which 10 general practices in England and Wales investigated patients attending for the first time with insect bites between April and September 2021 to their practices. Mode of consultation, presentation, management plan, and reattendance or referral were noted. Total practice flucloxacillin prescribing was compared to that for insect bites.

Results

A combined list size of 161,346 yielded 355 insect bite consultations. Nearly two-thirds were fema

SUBMITTER: Wilcock J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10745258 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature