Two new studies offer clues to antibiotic use and resistance in US children's hospitals

Two studies published in the December issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology show antibiotic resistance patterns for children have held stable over a seven-year period and surgical patients in U.S. children's hospitals account for 43 percent of all antibiotic use in children's hospitals, presenting an opportunity for targeted intervention.The release of the findings coincides with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Get Smart about Antibiotics Week, an annual week-long observance on antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use.