Experts say superbugs all set to overwhelm Australia's health system

Jul 8 2008

Experts around the world are concerned about the threat to hospitals from 'superbugs' such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which have developed resistance to most of the antibiotics used to treat them.

Now microbiologists are saying the problem is growing and if these so-called superbugs are not eradicated they will threaten Australia's health system.

Associate Professor Keryn Christiansen, the president of the Australian Society for Microbiology, says treatment can be very difficult and in some cases almost impossible as strains coming from the community have added virulence and cause more severe disease.

Professor Christiansen says they can cause diseases such as a very severe type of pneumonia, with a high rate of death and very severe skin infections known as flesh-eating bacteria.

The experts are urging both state and federal governments to act and stamp out antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' before it is too late.

Professor Christiansen says many factors contribute to the problem, including hospital hygiene and overcrowding and she says the amount of attention governments are giving the problem is unsatisfactory.

Professor Christiansen says many factors contribute to the problem, including hospital hygiene and when staff are under very heavy pressure hand hygiene breaks down.

She says many factors contribute to the problem of superbugs and Australia needs a national response in order to deal with it.

Professor Christiansen suggests that the problem needs to be quantified, and if necessary a search and destroy policy adopted where people that have the organisms are identified and also says a nationally coordinated approach is needed to the prescribing of antibiotics.

If action is not taken, says Professor Christiansen, MRSA will place an enormous burden on Australia's hospitals and population and there will be more people with disease, increased admission to hospitals and increased death rates.

An estimated two thousand Australians contract hospital acquired infections each year.

The company bioMerieux has just launched an Australian designed and manufactured robotic Petrie Dish screener onto the world market, and says hospitals should adopt a "search and destroy" strategy for infection.

The company says more patients should be tested before being admitted to hospital in order to control the growing reservoir of infection.

Professor Christiansen presented her views at the Australian Microbiology Society in Melbourne.