“Perfect storm” could spell the end of modern antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance - common bacteria that can survive antibiotics - is so concerning it has become a top priority for the Australian government. 

But what does this mean for you? Professor Anton Peleg, The Alfred’s Director of Infectious Diseases, explains why drug-resistant bacteria are now enemy number one and what you can do to help.

“Superbugs have taken over as the big concern for infectious disease physicians,” Professor Peleg said.

“With resistant bacteria, you suddenly have very few weapons left to fight with. These superbugs threaten the achievements that have been made in modern medicine.

“In the last five to 10 years, we have seen increased resistance to antibiotics and a significant decline in new antibiotic drug discovery and development. 

“We have a perfect storm developing.”

Professor Peleg said there was a simple way to join the fight against superbugs and he urged everybody to do so.

“People shouldn’t go to their GP and expect to get antibiotics for everything,” he said.

“We really need to justify their use and use them sparingly.  

“People need to be aware that not all infections respond to an antibiotic. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. Viruses cause a range of ailments such as the common cold or the flu but they cannot be treated with antibiotics.”

The World Health Organisation has named antibiotic resistance as one of its top health threats going forward.

Little wonder then that the experts in other areas of medicine are increasingly looking to Infectious Diseases clinicians for answers.

“One of the key challenges in the next decade is to discover and develop new antibiotics that have novel mechanisms of action. Once we find out what is causing disease, we are one step closer to stopping it and can start to intervene.”

It’s no longer just very sick, immuno-compromised patients who are affected.

“We are seeing antibiotic resistance in the community too,” Prof Peleg said.

“It’s definitely serious enough to be worried about, as shown by major health bodies around the world who have made this issue a key priority." 

With the development of new drugs often industry driven, new antibiotics have been less attractive as they are not as lucrative as blood pressure, cholesterol and cancer drugs. So there has been a long period of very little activity in antibiotic development.

“There has been a surge in funding for research into antibacterial resistance recently though,” Prof Peleg said.

“Last year, the Australian government announced the national strategy to address antibiotic overuse and resistance, aimed at raising awareness and cutting back unnecessary use of antibiotics.

“But it can be many, many years before a new drug emerges. In the meantime, we need to ensure the best use of our precious current antibiotics and continue our work on the drivers of resistance, ways to prevent transmission and ensure we govern the use of antibiotics in humans and agriculture.

“There will be no quick fix to this issue but great efforts are now being made at multiple levels to combat the problem of antibiotic resistance and that needs to continue.”