Combining an antibiotic stewardship program with a 15-pathogen viral panel to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

ABSTRACT: Acute upper respiratory tract infections (ARI) frequently result in unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings, contributing to antibiotic resistance and avoidable adverse outcomes. While antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have shown promise, their implementation in urgent care settings remains limited. The impact of point-of-care (POC) respiratory viral panels on antibiotic prescribing is also uncertain. This study evaluates the effect of the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE Respiratory Panel, a 15-pathogen panel, with integrated ASP interventions on antibiotic prescribing in a high-volume urgent care setting in the Southeast United States. This was a prospective cohort study of adults with ARI who presented to an urgent care in Louisiana from June to August 2024. A randomly selecte

SUBMITTER: Arnold CG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12772331 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature