A new study from Flinders University and SAHMRI highlights a growing threat in aged care facilities: the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or “superbugs,” due to the overuse of antibiotics.
The research, published in the Journal of Infection, reveals that common antibiotics prescribed to elderly residents can increase the presence of resistance genes in the gut, potentially leading to severe health consequences.
Sophie Miller, the lead author and PhD student, explains, “High rates of antibiotic prescriptions in aged care settings are likely contributing to the proliferation of these bugs, which can lead to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality.”
“This trend not only compromises the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment but also poses a significant risk of treatment failures in an already vulnerable community.”
The study analysed stool samples from 164 residents in five long-term South Australian aged care facilities, uncovering a troubling connection between the use of certain antibiotics and the escalation of resistance to other antibiotics not even prescribed. Alarmingly, nearly all participants carried these resistant genes without displaying any symptoms.
Senior author Professor Geraint Rogers, Director of the Microbiome and Host Health Program at SAHMRI, emphasises the broader implications of these findings: “As the population ages, the implications of our findings emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to antibiotic management in long-term aged care settings.”
“There are concerns that practitioners may be over prescribing antibiotics, potentially increasing the risk of resistant bacterial infections, and this study’s findings suggest a need for extra caution when prescribing them for older patients.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest threats to global health, food security, and development with a growing number of infections – including pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and salmonellosis – becoming harder to treat as antibiotics used to treat them become less effective.
This study adds to the growing concern that current antibiotic practices in aged care may be exacerbating this issue, putting vulnerable elderly populations at even greater risk.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
