GA Number: 965265

Title: pREVention and management tools for rEducing antibiotic Resistance in high prevalence SEttings.

Design: Prospective, multi-centre, cluster-randomized, stepped-wedge clinical trial in 24 hospitals of four European countries (Greece, Italy, Romania and Spain. 

Three complementary programmes will be implemented sequentially:

1. 1. Microbiology and Diagnostic Stewardship (MDS) Programme,

2. 2. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Programme and,

3. 3. Antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programme.

Primary objective: to develop and implement strategies and tools for the prevention and clinical management of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) to due multidrug-resistant pathogens (MDRO).

The ABS programme will be coordinated by UNIVR in collaboration with the local ABS team with the aim at implementing basic best practice interventions (e.g., audit and feedback on compliance with guidance on antibiotic use, training on judicious antibiotic prescription, guidance documents on syndrome-specific treatment…). Furthermore, based on the baseline assessment advanced interventions will be explored for implementation and sustainability; the advanced activities coordinated by UNIVR are the integration of rectal screening results in both the decision-making process for empiric therapy for bloodstream infections in immunocompromised patients and for personalised prophylaxis before elective colorectal surgery.