A shortcut to rational prescribing. Matching the bug and the drug.

The rational use of antibacterial chemotherapy in the clinical setting is a necessary objective, but a difficult task. This article presents a particular interpretation of history that links bacteria, conditions and chemotherapy in a prescribing rule that applies to much of the bacterial infection seen in clinical practice. Whilst retaining a rational basis, use of the rule simplifies day-to-day prescribing of antibacterial chemotherapy.