Test To Reduce Antibiotic Use

The Oxford University Clinical Research Unit researchers in Vietnam have shown that using a fast 5-minute test they can reduce antibiotic misuse for respiratory infections. This is a key way to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant infection by cutting the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.

A marker of infections caused by bacteria, C-reactive protein (CRP), is detected in the patients’ blood by the rapid test. If they detect a low level of CRP it is suggestive of viral infection and an antibiotic is not required.

The tests were available by the study team at 10 primary healthcare centers around Hanoi and Vietnam …read more