World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (November 18-24) is hosted annually by the World Health Organization (WHO). The 2021 theme, Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance, calls on health stakeholders, policymakers, health care providers, and the general public to raise global awareness of antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR is one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity and it threatens the very core of modern medicine. The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials increases AMR. Here at our Hospital, the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and Microbiology Laboratory work collaboratively on the frontlines to promote appropriate antimicrobial use and fight AMR.

One of those initiatives is Procalcitonin (PCT) Testing and Guidelines. Procalcitonin is a substance produced by many types of cells in the body, often in response to bacterial infections but also in response to tissue injury. The level of procalcitonin in the blood can increase significantly in systemic bacterial infections and for sepsis. PCT helps to streamline antibiotic use and ultimate benefit patient care. For more details, download the Firstline Antimicrobial Assistant app for free on the App Store and Google Play: www.firstline.org.

Test your antimicrobial and stewardship knowledge with our local Firstline in-app World Antibiotic Awareness Week Trivia Challenge (you could win a free Robins gift card!)

Also try the fun “Which antibiotic are you?” personality quiz by visiting https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/59e68e3a8ecd1200126656e8