Lima M B, de Oliveira C F, Galvao L F
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
J Int Med Res. 1990;18 Suppl 4:3D-5D.
The development of resistance to antibiotics can present a major problem when treating serious bacterial infections. Resistance may be increased due to indiscriminate prescribing and variations in resistance to an antibiotic may reflect different prescribing habits. In Latin American countries, where use of antibiotics is poorly controlled, resistance to gentamicin, tobramycin and amikacin, for example, is considerably higher than that found in Europe and the USA, where tighter restrictions are imposed. It is concluded that vigilance in the prescribing of antibiotics should be observed to prevent further increases in resistance.
