Critical antibiotic resistance in Australia increased by 25% in 2024 and less than half the antibiotics given after surgeries were appropriate, according to the latest antimicrobial use and resistance in human health (AURA) report.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines, making infections difficult – and sometimes impossible – to treat.
Drafted and released by the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the sixth national snapshot brings together 2022-24 data from hospitals, aged care settings and the wider community, providing the nation’s most comprehensive picture of how antibiotics are being used and where resistance is fast emerging.
Rising resistance
The data reveals that in 2024, 23.2 million antibiotic prescriptions were supplied to about 37.1% of Australians under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, a 4.8% increase from 2023. A 25.2% increase in reports of critical antibiotic resistance was also reported during the same period.
The report also found
- 88.1% of ‘last-line’ antibiotics were prescribed appropriately in hospitals
- Only 45% of antibiotics given after surgeries were deemed appropriate
- In 2024, 14.4% more antimicrobials were prescribed to older Australians in residential aged care than in 2023
- 34.7% of antibiotics prescribed to aged care residents were used for prolonged periods (over six months)
The report’s findings showed key areas of significant concern and the need to focus attention in targeted areas, a CDC spokesperson said.
“Encouragingly, overall antibiotic use in Australia is almost 21% lower than a decade ago, and ‘last-line’ antibiotics used to treat life-threatening infections are still being carefully dispensed in hospitals.
“However, there appears to be less caution when prescribing antibiotics that are considered to have a lower risk of promoting resistance, resulting in their more frequent use even in situations where there is no clear benefit.”
The report also highlights that many antimicrobial stewardship programs are working well. However, prescribing practices vary significantly across settings, and improvements in some areas are not keeping pace with emerging resistance.
Read the AURA report here
