Over the past many years, new and novel antibiotics have been developed against resistant bacterial species, but their increased clinical usage has led to reduced bacterial susceptibility and increased bacterial resistance to these novel agents. When a new antibiotic is developed, bacterial species initially show susceptibility to the agent, but with the passage of time, as the use of the antibiotic increases, the bacterial species acquire resistance against the drug or even the drug class. This book provides a comprehensive overview of antimicrobial stewardship programs and the obstacles to implementing and maintaining such programs. Antimicrobial stewardship is an important part of a multifaceted approach to preventing the emergence of antibiotic resistance in various microbial species. The book highlights the basic and initial steps necessary for initiating an antimicrobial stewardship program, as well as explores the different strategies of antimicrobial stewardship.
