Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Professor (Clinical) of Pharmacy Practice Susan Davis, PharmD, was interviewed by Contagion on issues in antimicrobial stewardship. In the Oct. 16 article, Davis said that antimicrobial therapy in pneumonia is largely empiric. "Decisions about de-escalation can be difficult when the pathogen isn't clear," she said, "which creates some challenges for antimicrobial stewardship programs."

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to public health. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2 million Americans contract an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection each year, and about 23,000 of these patients die.

The antibiotic resistance crisis has arisen because of anti­biotic overuse and misuse, and antimicrobial stewardship represents a vital initiative to help combat it. Antimicrobial stewardship is composed of coordinated strategies designed to improve the appropriateness of antimicrobial use, aiming not only to reduce resistance to antimicrobial agents but also to enhance patient care.

Full story in Contagion

Also in October, Davis was interviewed by Paul W. Smith on antibiotic resistance.

Listen to the WJR-AM clip