Australian babies given antibiotics at some of the highest rates in the world

Levels risk long-term side-effects and antibiotic resistance, described by World Health Organisation as ‘global emergency’

Australian babies are prescribed antibiotics at some of the highest rates in the world, risking possible long-term side-effects and speeding up antibiotic resistance in the community, which has been described by the World Health Organisation as a “global health emergency”.

In the first study of its kind, researchers tracked antibiotic use in 660 children under the age of one, both prescribed by GPs, and administered in hospitals.

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2uGKfmu