Affiliations: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical
Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia | Community Health Centre Novo Mesto, Novo Mesto,
Slovenia | University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia | Tom&Tim, Ljubljana, Slovenia | Institute of Public Health of the Republic of
Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Note: [] Correspondence: Milan Čižman, MD, Department of
Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre, Japljeva ulica 2, 1525
Ljubljana, Slovenia. Tel.: +386 1 522 21 10; Fax: +386 522 2456;
E-mail: milan.cizman@mf.uni-lj.si
Abstract: Differences in antibiotic consumption are not seen only in different
countries but also within countries. We retrospectively (2000–2012)
analyzed the consumption of antibiotics in children in 9 regions in Slovenia
and tried to find out the determinants of regional variation in the year 2006
and 2009. For each year we saw a 1.5 fold (range 1.2–1.8) difference
between the regions with the lowest and the highest total antibiotic
consumption. The interregional use of different antibiotic classes varied up to
8.5-fold. No correlation between antibiotic consumption and socioeconomic
determinants was found. Very high and high correlation was found between
antibiotic consumption and incidence of common acute respiratory tract
infections like upper respiratory tract infections, sore throat, acute
laryngitis/tracheitis and acute bronchitis. In 2006 there was a correlation
between antibiotic use, urinary tract infections and acute otitis media. High
overall consumption of antibiotics especially penicillins was associated with
higher resistance of S. pneumoniae to penicillin. Regional variation in
antibiotic use and its pattern are seen also in a small country as Slovenia and
indicate the need for improvement.
