The Ministry of Health is encouraging people to take steps to help ensure important medicines, such as antibiotics, can remain effective for treating infections.
It is World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week (18 to 24 November) with the focus this year on educating, advocating and acting on the risk posed by AMR to our collective health. In October, the United Nations General Assembly, including New Zealand as a member state, declared AMR one of the most urgent global health threats, and set news goals for global action.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time to the point where they are no longer killed by antimicrobial drugs, including antibiotics. This means many modern medicines that previously worked to treat infections are no long effective, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability and death.
It is estimated bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths.
Ministry of Health Chief Science Advisor Dr Ian Town says AMR poses a significant risk to the health of New Zealanders as infections that could previously be treated may become be difficult or impossible to treat.
‘Over time, the spread of AMR could mean we may face serious challenges with some medical treatments including cancer treatment, joint replacements and organ transplants because of the risk of untreatable infection,’ Dr Town says.
‘Resistant strains of bacteria and viruses are already being detected in New Zealand, affecting the health and treatment options of New Zealanders directly and proving challenging and time-consuming for health services to contain.’
Hospitals in the Te Manawa Taki region continue to experience an outbreak of an antimicrobial-resistant bacterium known as a vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), first detected in late 2022.
Numbers of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) are also increasing rapidly in New Zealand. These bacteria can cause common infections such as cystitis (an infection of the bladder) as well as life threatening infections such as sepsis. They are resistant to all commonly used antibiotics, as well as last-line carbapenem antibiotics which are usually reserved for severe infections.
Dr Town says careful and considered use of antibiotics across society can help us preserve their ability to protect us from infection and disease.
‘Antibiotics are not effective against illnesses caused by viruses such as the common cold and flu. Taking antibiotics unnecessarily for viral illnesses may increase the risk of bacteria developing resistance.’
Preventing infections helps stop antimicrobial resistance developing, by reducing the need for antimicrobials. Steps everyone can take include:
- regularly wash your hands – especially prior to preparing foods and eating; and after using the bathroom
- keep up to date with vaccinations
- remember the 3Cs when cooking at home. Clean, Cook, Chill to prevent you and your family from getting food poisoning
- cover cuts and prevent insect bites
- trust your health professional if they advise that you don’t need antimicrobials, such as antibiotics. Ask them about other ways to relieve your symptoms
- only take antimicrobials if they are prescribed for you, don’t use or share leftover antimicrobials
- if antimicrobials are prescribed for you, follow your health professional’s advice on when and how to take them
- take any unused antimicrobials back to your pharmacy so they are disposed of safely and don’t enter the environment.
