If You Don't Ask, We Won't Tell: A Lab Stops Reporting Ciprofloxacin Susceptibility

Most experts agree that quinolones have been overused for years, citing increasing resistance, often-underestimated side effects, and quinolone contribution to Clostridium difficile infections. However, retraining clinicians for whom ciprofloxacin has long been the go-to antibiotic for many infections can be difficult.

Canadian researchers evaluated the efficacy of selective susceptibility reporting for curtailing ciprofloxacin use at a single large community teaching hospital. Beginning in February 2011, ciprofloxacin susceptibility of tested Enterobacteriaceae was not reported when other antibiotic choices were available. Ciprofloxacin nonsusceptibility was still reported for intermediately susceptible and resistant organisms.

Immediately a…