Antibiotics overuse enables superbugs

The former Livingspace building in Lichfield St in Christchurch will return to its former use under a new owner.

Kiwis should avoid antibiotics unless absolutely necessary, as antibiotic-resistant superbugs are on the rise, doctors say.

News emerged in October that a person in Canterbury died after contracting a superbug in an overseas hospital. While superbug infections were very rare in New Zealand, they were increasing, said Dr Joshua Freeman, Canterbury District Health Board’s clinical director of microbiology and virology.

It meant we could lose the ability to banish diseases like pneumonia, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea. The dangers are being highlighted as part of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, which starts today.

Freeman said treatment

of superbugs involved using a lastline-of-defence antibiotic, colistin, which was relatively toxic. ‘‘I am aware of several serious invasive infections over the past two years where colistin has been the only antibiotic with activity against the infecting bacteria,’’ he said.

But resistance to colistin was increasing throughout the world, said Freeman, who is also chairman of the NZ Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Committee.

Kiwis needed to understand that antibiotics became less effective if used too much, he said.

‘‘Not every infection requires antibiotics and it is best to keep them in reserve for when there is a clear benefit.’’

Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation listed antimicrobial resistance – driven by antibiotic overuse in animals and people – as a top threat to global health.