The Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland have produced this practical guide in order to aid antibiotic prescription for a range of patient groups. These range from infants to pregnant women to the elderly. Depending on each individual case there will be a separate antibiotic regimen adopted. As always family history, genetic disorders and immune status are important before making a decision on antibiotic therapy.

This is a useful guide both for practitioners and their patients and it is likely to be used at length in the months and years to come especially in the event of antimicrobial resistance which will surely occur more frequently in the future.