Amoxicillin/Clavulanic Acid in Transrectal Biopsy of the Prostate—An Alternative in Times of Ciprofloxacin Obsolescence and Fosfomycin Limitation?

Recently, the German Federal Institute for Medicines and Medical Products restricted the use of fosfomycin in transrectal biopsy of the prostate (TRBP). Accordingly, the need for other antibiotic agents for prophylaxis in TRBP is urgent since antibiotic prophylaxis is mandatory in accordance with these guidelines. After the restriction of the use of ciprofloxacin, and before the use of fosfomycin in Germany was falsely allowed, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was evaluated as an alternative for antibiotic prophylaxis in TRBP. Regarding hospitalization for post-interventional infections, 359 patients at the Department of Urology of the University of Regensburg, at Caritas-St. Josef Medical Center as a single center, underwent TRBP between 2 July 2019 and 30 June 2020. Regarding antibiotic prophylaxis, the post-interventional hospitalization rate due to bacterial complications was relevant. Of the 359 patients, 10 (2.8%) had an infection requiring hospitalization post-TRBP. A total of 349 (97.2%) patients had no infection-related hospitalization. This corresponds to an incidence rate of only 2.8%. Referring to the previous infection rates under the now obsolete ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid can show a similar, if not tendentially even lower, risk of infection, and so this substance can be an alternative for antibiotic prophylaxis in TRBP. Another advantage is that, according to the WHO's AWaRe classification, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is one of the so-called Access antibiotics. This study is limited as rectal swabs and urine cultures were not performed on every patient before TRBP.