In patients with viral etiology there was no difference in mortality between those who discontinued antibiotics compared to those who did not (1/8 [13%] vs. 3/26 [12%]; p = 1.00). LOS was shorter in inpatients who discontinued antibiotics (median days 5 [IQR 3–11.75] vs. 10.5 [IQR 6–19.25]; p = 0.05). Patients in whom antibiotics were continued despite a viral detection were as frequently admitted to ICU (11/26 [42%] vs. 5/8 [63%]; p = 0.55) or mechanically ventilated (6/26 [23%] vs. 1/8 [13%]; p = 0.93) as patients in whom antibiotics were discontinued. The proportion of patients with sepsis was comparable (16/26 [62%] vs. 6/8 [75%]; p = 0.80). These results were similar if adults and children were analyzed separately.