An institution-specific cumulative antibiogram is a critical tool for antimicrobial stewardship, including the selection of empirical antimicrobial therapy, establishment of institutional treatment guidelines for common infectious diseases, and monitoring of drug susceptibility rates of the organisms in facilities [1]. Antibiograms are not necessarily available at all medical institutions in Japan. The hurdles to generating an antibiogram might vary with the existence of an in-house microbiological laboratory and the number of experienced laboratory technicians engaged in microbiological testing. In addition, depending on the function of the medical facility, preparing an antibiogram using standardized methods may be difficult because of less experience in microbiological testing or treatment of infectious diseases.

The Japan Surveillance for Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology (J-SIPHE) is a surveillance platform that aggregates information on infection control and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from participating facilities in Japan, which has been operated by the AMR Clinical Reference Center since 2019. By registering microbiological information in J-SIPHE, users can quickly visualize trends in microbiological profiles at their facilities. If an institution participates in Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS), a surveillance system covering more than 3,000 hospitals organized by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Japan, the institution can effortlessly create an antibiogram by registering its data in J-SIPHE.

The purpose of this survey was to elucidate the status of cumulative antibiogram preparation in institutions in Japan and gain insight into the use of J-SIPHE in preparing antibiograms and future issues.