The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidance discouraging the use of antibiotics in COVID-19 patients-even in severe cases-when there is no clear evidence of a bacterial co-infection. These updated recommendations, published in the WHO Clinical Management of COVID-19: Living Guideline, are based on findings from a recent systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating outcomes in patients who received antibiotics for COVID-19.
The updated recommendations apply to healthcare professionals, including clinicians, allied health workers, facility managers, and hospital administrators involved in managing patients with COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 conditions.
"For patients with non-severe COVID-19 and a low clinical suspicion of a concurrent bacterial infection, we recommend no empirical antibiotics. For patients with severe COVID-19 and a low clinical suspicion of a concurrent bacterial infection, we suggest no empirical antibiotics," the WHO stated in the guidance.
The recommendations come amid growing concern over antimicrobial resistance and a need to curb unnecessary antibiotic use. WHO noted that the environment in which COVID-19 care is delivered has evolved considerably since 2020. This includes reduced disease severity, lower hospitalization rates, and the integration of COVID-19 care into general healthcare systems following the withdrawal of emergency measures.
In response to this changing landscape, WHO has also streamlined its guidelines to focus specifically on COVID-19-related care. "This different environment has prompted a review of the scope and content of all existing guidance. In order to maintain a clear focus and relevance, we have removed recommendations which would be considered general medical principles, and those which are no longer specific to the management of COVID-19," it added.
The WHO emphasized that SARS-CoV-2 continues to cause preventable illness and death, though the widespread rollout of vaccines and treatments has substantially reduced the severity and fatality of the disease. "However, the virus continues to evolve in terms of infectivity, immune escape, and disease severity. This guideline robustly and transparently addresses the changing landscape and evidence availability, and the continual development of treatment and management strategies for COVID-19," the organization stated.
The updated guidance aims to promote evidence-based clinical practices while mitigating the global threat of antibiotic resistance.
Reference: https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/j1WBYn
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