A microbiology expert has warned that health cutbacks could be hampering hospitals' efforts to combat potentially deadly 'super bugs', such as MRSA, E.Coli and VRE.

Dr Robert Cunney, consultant microbiologist with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has warned that due to the overuse of antibiotics at hospital and community level, many bacteria that cause serious infection are becoming increasingly resistant to treatment with these drugs.

The incidence of many of these antibiotic resistant bugs is on the increase in Ireland.

However, Dr Cunney has expressed concern that staffing shortages could affect hospitals' efforts to cut down on unnecessary antibiotic use and these cuts could also be affecting the promotion of other infection control measures such as better hygiene and safe levels of bed occupancy.

In an interview with irishhealth.com, Dr Cunney said there was evidence in some hospitals that staff dedicated to promoting the more sparing use of antibiotics and general healthcare-associated infection control measures were being diverted to compensate for staffing shortages elsewhere.

He said while 'antibiotic stewardship' teams were in place in some hospitals promoting rational antibiotic prescribing, this was something that neede to be in place in all hospitals.

"There are still hospitals that do not have these stewardship teams in place. Unfortunately, in some places, because of the recruitment ban, you have situations where pharmacists are being pulled back from their specialist antibiotic resistance prevention work because there are no pharmacists to full vacant general pharmacy posts in hospitals," Dr Cunney said.

"While there are obviously efficiencies to be gained in the healthcare system, there is a danger that if the prevention of antibiotic resistance and the prevention of infection in healthcare settings is not prioritised then there is a real risk that you are going to see a huge rise in antibiotic resistance and you are going to see the spread of these almost untreatable infections."

The rate of antibiotic resistant superbugs is on the rise in Ireland, with the exception of MRSA, which has seen a decline in recent years thanks to increased efforts made in hospitals to control this bug.

Dr Cunney said it was difficult to calculate how much of the increasing levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria that we are seeing is related to increased pressures on our healthcare system, as it was a multifactorial issue involving antibiotic use, hand hygiene, staffing levels, bed occupancy, surveillance and prevention programmes etc.

"However, international experience should suggest that if you don't factor in maintaining your infection control resources, maintaining safe levels of bed occupancy, maintaining staffing levels etc, that does result in an increase in infections, so that is something that our health authorities need to keep an eye on," he said.

Our lethal love affair with antibiotics