RSV Detection and Antibiotic Prescribing Decisions for Pediatric Respiratory Tract Infections

Are respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) in primary care associated with reduced inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in children with suspected viral lower respiratory tract infections (VLRTIs), including bronchiolitis?In this cohort study of 256 children aged 9 to 36 months in Italy, implementing RSV Ag-RDTs in clinical practice was associated with a reduction in unnecessary antibiotic use. Overall, RSV Ag-RDTs were associated with a mean reduction in antibiotic prescribing for VLRTIs and bronchiolitis compared with clinically diagnosed cohorts.The findings suggest incorporating RSV Ag-RDTs into pediatric care may support more appropriate antibiotic prescribing and could help reduce antibiotic overuse.

Corresponding Author: Riccardo Boracchini, MSc, Laboratory of Healthcare Research and Pharmacoepidemiology, Division of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan-Bicocca, Via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi 8, 20126 Milan, Lombardy, Italy (riccardo.boracchini@unimib.it).

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