Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Adults
Authors: Jan Matthys
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2016)

Letters1 November 2016Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in AdultsJan Matthys, MDJan Matthys, MDFrom University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L16-0283 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Harris and colleagues' advice that “clinicians should test patients with symptoms suggestive of group A streptococcal pharyngitis … by rapid antigen detection test and/or culture for group A Streptococcus” (1) does not agree with European guidelines (2). The problem with group A streptococcal pharyngitis is that clinical findings and tests, even in combination, are not sufficiently reliable to diagnose active infection. According to the guidelines from the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (3), neither rapid antigen detection testing nor throat swab culture can differentiate between the streptococcal ...References1. Harris AM, Hicks LA, Qaseem A; High Value Care Task Force of the American College of Physicians and for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Appropriate antibiotic use for acute respiratory tract infection in adults: advice for high-value care from the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ann Intern Med. 2016;164:425-34. [PMID: 26785402]. doi:10.7326/M15-1840 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Matthys J, De Meyere M, van Driel ML, De Sutter A. Differences among international pharyngitis guidelines: not just academic. Ann Fam Med. 2007;5:436-43. [PMID: 17893386] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Management of sore throat and indications for tonsillectomy: a national clinical guideline. April 2010. Accessed at www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign117.pdf on 24 September 2016. Google Scholar4. Matthys J, De Meyere M, De Sutter A. Fusobacterium-positive and Streptococcal-positive pharyngitis [Letter]. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162:876. [PMID: 26075766]. doi:10.7326/L15-5099 LinkGoogle Scholar5. Spurling GK, Del Mar CB, Dooley L, Foxlee R, Farley R. Delayed antibiotics for respiratory infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013:CD004417. [PMID: 23633320] doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004417.pub4 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L16-0283. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAppropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Adults: Advice for High-Value Care From the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Aaron M. Harris , Lauri A. Hicks , Amir Qaseem , and Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Adults Aaron M. Harris , Lauri A. Hicks , and Amir Qaseem Metrics 1 November 2016Volume 165, Issue 9Page: 673-674KeywordsAntibiotic resistanceAntibioticsAntigensPeritonsillar abscessesPharyngitisPharynxStreptococcal infectionsStreptococcal pharyngitisStreptococcusUpper respiratory tract infections ePublished: 1 November 2016 Issue Published: 1 November 2016 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2016 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...