Antibiotic Resistance Identified in High Proportion of Surgical, Cancer Patients
October 21, 2015 | Strategic Insights for Health System
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As many as half of surgical site infections in the United States are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as are more than one quarter of infections affecting chemotherapy patients, according to a meta-analysis published online October 15, 2015, by Lancet Infectious Diseases. Based on reviews estimating the effectiveness of antibiotics fighting various pathogens, the authors estimate that between 39% and 51% of surgical site infections and 27% of infections in chemotherapy patients are caused by pathogens that are resistant to front-line antibiotic therapy.