Campaign against abuse of antibiotics

Health Minister Louis Deguara yesterday launched a campaign urging the public not to abuse antibiotics, saying that about half of the antibiotics consumed by people are taken needlessly.

The abuse results in bacteria becoming immune to antibiotics, some of which were wonder drugs years ago but have now practically lost their worth, the minister said.

This increased resistance has led health authorities at St Luke's Hospital to dedicate a ward to patients suffering from MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The term is shorthand for any strain of Staphylococcus bacteria that is resistant to one or more conventional antibiotics.

There are many different strains of MRSA, with differing degrees of immunity. With staph bacteria having become more resistant to various antibiotics, including the commonly used penicillin-related antibiotics, treatment of these infections has become more difficult over the past 50 years.

Dr Deguara said St Luke's had a daily average of one to two cases of MRSA, with infected patients undergoing sophisticated surgical operations.

Speaking at a news conference at the Health Ministry in Valletta, he said the campaign would include posters and leaflets in Maltese and English.

"There are people who delude themselves that their doctor should prescribe antibiotics for their ailments. Others expect pharmacists to serve them anti-biotics without a prescription.

"Selling antibiotics not covered by a prescription is illegal," the minister pointed out.

Michael Borg, the chairman of the National Antibiotics Committee, said that if the abuse of antibiotics went on unchecked, things could regress to the time 60 years ago when infection spelt death and Alexander Fleming was just discovering penicillin.

He said that while treating an ordinary infection with anti-biotics would cost St Luke's between Lm15 and Lm20, it cost between Lm400 and Lm500 to treat a person infected with MRSA. The annual bill for treating MRSA at hospital is Lm100,000.

Health Division director Ray Busuttil said that the Food Safety Commission would be testing meat and farmed fish to check for traces of anabolic steroids and antibiotics.

Milk is already being tested but other products will be screened to see what amounts of antibiotics and steroids pass down the food chain.