Clinical Infectious Diseases 2014 New Zealand report

Researchers from the University of Auckland report that New Zealand, has now developed world’s highest rates of MRSA to topical antibacterial agents.

Rates of resistance to the topical antibiotic fusidic acid have increased from 17% in 1999 to almost 30% in 2013, at a time when prescribing of the antibiotic also increased substantially, the researchers said.

Over the same time period, resistance rates to mupirocin, another topical antibiotic, declined from 28% to 11% in line with decreasing use due to restrictions on over-the-counter sales and prescribing.