Preventing bacterial resistance: Antibiotic cycling and alternative Strategies

Escalating antimicrobial resistance has been associated with greater patient morbidity and overall health care costs that result from prolonged hospitalizations and convalescence associated with antibiotic treatment failures. Antimicrobial cycling has been advocated as a method of reducing the occurrence of resistance. Unfortunately, the cumulative evidence to date suggests that this strategy has limited efficacy Nevertheless, a strategy that includes antimicrobial heterogeneity, such as the mixing of antibiotic classes, can be part of a broader effort aimed at curtailing antimicrobial resistance within hospitals. Avoiding prolonged exposure to antibiotics also appears to be an important strategy for curbing resistance.