Alarm over antibiotics

There have been reports of problems with MRSA, the methicillinresistant super-bacteria, occurring in veterinary practices in Australia.

This has been a problem in human medicine for the last couple of decades, mainly in hospitals.

The ESR here in New Zealand says the MRSA problem grew significantly in the last decade with a massive 37 per cent increase in cases between 2010 and 2011 alone. In India now there are strains of TB that are multi-drug resistant and even totally drug resistant.

This is very serious. It could mean a return to life as it was only 100 years ago when surgery, childbirth and even simple infections become life- threatening problems.

There are a number of reasons for the occurrence of antibiotic resistance; the one that we have no control over is bacteria’s natural ability to multiply exponen- tially – one can become millions in a day or two. Amongst this are random mutations that give some the chance to become resistant to whatever is thrown at them. The adage ‘‘ what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’’ was never truer for bacteria. Darwinian evolution works fastest at a microscopic level.

However, the main reason for antibiotic resistance has been over- use and misuse. This includes over-prescription by doctors and veterinarians.

Although antibiotic overuse has greatly reduced in the west with better understanding of this and the consequent reality of the occurrence of MRSA infections, the big problem is now in developing nations.

I have concerns about the overuse of antibiotics in veterinary care too. In our practice we do not use antibiotics for routine sterile surgery such as spays. We do not need to because of our good surgical site preparation and the use of sterile gloves, however, it is known that there are veterinarians that simply use antibiotics in place of good sterile technique.

There is no control over this in the veterinary industry in New Zealand as there are no mandatory minimum standards of practice.

Dr Ian Schraa is an experienced veterinarian and the owner of Rappaw Veterinary Care.

Shades of blue: Attending a future police leaders course at the Royal New Zealand Police College were, from left, superintendent Pati Taulapapa from Samoa, deputy commissioner Atelaite Soakai from Tonga, mayor Nick Leggett, New Zealand police inspector...