[Antibiotic therapy in general medicine in Monastir, Tunisia]

In order to determine the cost and frequency of antibiotic prescription by general practitioners, we studied 563 outpatients from health centres in Monastir (Tunisia). All patients had acute diseases. Antibiotics were prescribed to 50.4%. Single antibiotics were generally prescribed, but 52.8% of these patients did not have any laboratory tests. The more frequently used antibiotics were penicillin G and A. Antibiotics cost represented 34.7% of medicinal cost borne by patients and 49.7% of the cost borne by the public sector. Rationalization of medicinal prescription would have a positive impact on household and state budgets.