'Last resort' antibiotics pose growing threat to healthcare, report warns

Public Health England finds use of such drugs has risen since 2010 while antibiotic-resistant infections continue to increase

The use of antibiotics of last resort has risen significantly in England during the last five years as antibiotic-resistant infections continue to grow, posing a threat to healthcare.

A report from Public Health England (PHE) published on Monday said usage of antibiotics when all other treatments have failed has risen since 2010, with the use of carbapenems and piperacillin/tazobactam increasing by 36% and 55% respectively, from 2010-14, although the rate of increase is slowing. Both are used in intensive care, transplant or cancer units against serious infections such as pneumonia and kidney infections.