Trend in the use of antibiotics in Korean children.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is the most important factor that causes an increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics, thus affecting patient outcomes. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a serious public health threat causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Korea, the burden of antibiotic resistant bacteria have become an important public health issues. There is increasing evidence of overuse and misuse of antibiotics in Korea observed from cohorts of large sample size. In specific, antibiotic use in children should be highlighted because of the frequency of acquiring community-associated infections and the elevated risk of transmission to other population. The recent studies from Korea conveys the use of broadspectrum antibiotics, either inpatient or outpatient, has been increased in many age groups, especially in children. In this review, we aimed to convey the patterns of antibiotic prescription and to evaluate recent trends in antibiotic usage among children. Coordinated efforts from inter-professional antimicrobial stewardship to communications and education to address misunderstandings regarding the use of antibiotics should be implemented in the near future.