Experts say we need to be aware of antimicrobial resistance to prevent an “antibiotic apocalypse”.

An antimicrobial is an agent which kills or stops the growth of microorganisms. Antimicrobials are used as parts of all sorts of medical treatments, from antibiotics and antifungals, to cancer therapies and organ transplants.

In simple terms, antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria can no longer be killed by antibiotics.

Last week, the CSIRO released a new national framework to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship in animal industries across Australia. The framework provides recommendations for farmers and vets to maintain low rates of antimicrobial resistance.

Lead author Dr Kylie Hewson from CSIRO says the practice of antimicrobial stewardship emphasises antimicrobials as a precious resource society relies on.

“There are instances where people don’t use antimicrobials appropriately globally in human and animal medicine, which can accelerate the generation of antimicrobial resistance and that’s what we want to prevent,” she says.

Dr Hewson says antibiotic resistance is currently causing problems in the treatment of parasites in Australian sheep populations.

“I don’t want people to miss the animal health part of the picture because ultimately it has impacts for human health and food security. Lab reports are showing that antimicrobials or drenches just aren’t working anymore, and vaccines aren’t as effective as we’d want them to be. And the problem’s just getting worse and worse.”

She says antimicrobials across the globe are so variable in use, regulation, availability, cost, effectiveness and quality “it’s ridiculous”.

In 2022, the EU passed legislation banning the routine use of antibiotics in farmed animals, raising questions about action in Australia.

Dr Hewson says Australia already has very conservative regulations about the use of antimicrobials in animals.

“All sorts of countries put out statements and policies and say “aren’t we awesome we’ve restricted the use of thing in animals” and then people look at Australia and go well what’s Australia doing? Well actually we did that 40 years ago.”

She says policymakers should work with people on the ground to create context specific policies.

Animal welfare expert Dr Taya Thomas has almost 20 years of experience in livestock industries.

She says the antimicrobial stewardship recommendations from the framework are already considered standard practice in Australian industry operations and culture, but the cost to farmers must always be factored in.

“It costs money to be really clean and healthy; it costs money to medicate when you’re sick. Not everybody can afford to do that,” she says.

Foundation member and director of the AMR Vet Collective Dr Stephen Page says more vaccines are needed as people and animals generally don’t develop resistance to them.

“If we’re going to be the smart country and we’re going to be rewarding innovation then inducements to actually invest in this area creatively would be highly desirable.”

Dr Page says there is also a lack of new antibiotics as profit is being prioritised over general human health.

“If we look at the loss to national and global economies every year due to people dying or becoming unwell and incapacitated, it would actually be worth our while to pay companies a billion dollars or more each year just to develop and have a novel antibiotic on the shelf when it’s needed,” he says.

“In the 1800s the mortality rate in young children was extraordinarily high, and there was nothing that anyone could do until vaccines and anti-serum became available at the turn of the 20th century. People forget those days and they’re sort of returning.

“We all live in one environment, whether we’re humans or animals. If we’re interested in controlling the issue, we really need to consider all the elements of one health. “

Dr Stephen Page