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Related Experiment Videos

Self-treatment with antibiotics.

M S Puczynski1, J Gonzalez, J P O'Keefe

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60153.

Annals of Emergency Medicine
|December 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary
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Self-medication with antibiotics is a significant issue, especially for upper respiratory infections. This practice, detected by antibiotic activity in urine, can affect medical diagnoses and lab results.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Antibiotic self-medication is a growing concern globally.
  • Understanding the prevalence and patterns of self-medication is crucial for public health.
  • Patients often self-treat presumed infectious conditions without professional guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among patients presenting with infectious symptoms.
  • To identify factors associated with antibiotic self-medication.
  • To assess the potential impact of self-medication on clinical diagnosis and laboratory testing.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 270 patients with presumed infectious symptoms was studied.
  • Urine samples were analyzed for antimicrobial activity using agar diffusion assay with Bacillus subtilis.

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  • Patient demographics, symptoms, and self-medication history were recorded.

    • Main Results:

    • Antibiotic activity was detected in the urine of 17 patients (6%).
    • Only five patients admitted to self-medicating with antibiotics.
    • Self-medication was significantly more common in patients with upper respiratory infection symptoms (12%) compared to other conditions (P < .002).
    • Age, sex, and symptom duration did not correlate with self-medication incidence.

    Conclusions:

    • Antibiotic self-medication is prevalent in patients seeking care for infectious symptoms.
    • The practice is particularly noted in cases of upper respiratory infections.
    • Self-medication can complicate clinical assessments and interfere with microbiological diagnostic accuracy.