There's an urgent need for more careful antibiotic management to protect older people living in residential aged care from the dangerous spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria or 'superbugs', researchers from Flinders University and SAHMRI warn.
A new study published in the well-respected Journal of Infection, explores the link between the widespread use of antibiotics in residential aged care and the resulting antibiotic resistant bacteria in the gut that can be passed on to other residents.
"Commonly used tablet antibiotics in the elderly increase many types of resistance bacteria carried in the gut and these so called 'superbugs' can increase resistance to other important life-saving antibiotic drugs," says lead author and PhD student, Sophie Miller.
"High rates of antibiotic prescriptions in aged care settings are likely to be contributing to the proliferation of these bugs, which can lead to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs and increased mortality.
"This trend not only compromises the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment but also poses a significant risk of treatment failures in an already vulnerable community."
The World Health Organization names antibiotic resistance as one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development with a growing number of infections - including pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and salmonellosis - becoming harder to treat as antibiotics used to treat them become less effective.
"Responding effectively to the global health threat of antibiotic resistance requires a detailed understanding of the influence and impact of antibiotic prescribing patterns," says Sophie Miller.
