Antibiotics should be used only when they are needed and not otherwise. However they are still being over-used and misused by health professionals, patients, farmers and vets. While this may treat an infection it can also result in the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, the more antibiotics are used the less effective they become. If a patient take an antibiotic for an infection today, a future infection is likely to be more difficult to treat which is true not only for the patient themselves but also for those around them.
Antibiotic prescribing guidelines are designed to assist healthcare professionals in prescribing the most appropriate antibiotics for specific infections. They are usually specific to a geographical area and specific to the most common strains of bacteria in those areas as well as their resistance patterns. However, there are gaps in those guidelines, which may result in inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics. In order to prevent resistance emerging comprehensive antibiotic prescribing guidelines are necessary in all areas of the country.
Urinary Tract infections are a common presentation to primary healthcare facilities. While guidelines are in place in certain regions they often do not distinguish between males and females. In this project we seek to determine if differences in antibiotic prescribing policies may result in differences in outcomes between male and female patients presenting with urinary tract infections. Such guidelines may help to prevent the emergence of resistant bacteria involved in urinary tract infections, which may be more difficult to treat.