Is shorter better? Duration of therapy for common bacterial infections in adults

Antimicrobial resistance is a looming threat to our society's health. Physicians need simple strategies for antimicrobial stewardship that can be readily incorporated into everyday practice. Addressing duration of therapy is one of these key strategies. Every day of antibiotic exposure beyond that which is necessary to cure the infection increases the risk of adverse events and antimicrobial resistance without providing additional benefits. We focus on the adult population and commonly encountered conditions: community-acquired pneumonia, intra-abdominal infections, skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, complicated urinary tract infections, and gram-negative bacteremia. The treatment of these common infections overlaps in primary and acute care practices. Recent literature suggests shorter duration of therapy is as effective as longer durations for these infections.