Press Releases
What factors influence the ways people access and use antibiotics in low-and-middle-income countries?
It is often assumed that people use antibiotics inappropriately because they don’t understand enough about the spread of drug resistant superbugs. A new study published in the medical journal BMJ Open and led by Warwick researcher Marco J Haenssgen reveals that in fact basic understanding of drug resistance is widespread in Southeast Asia - and that higher levels of awareness are actually linked to higher antibiotic use in the general population.
Bacteria such as E. coli detected in minutes by new technology from the University of Warwick
Scientists at the University of Warwick have discovered that healthy bacteria cells and cells inhibited by antibiotics or UV light show completely different reactions to electrical stimulus. The findings could lead to the development of medical devices which can rapidly detect live bacterial cells, evaluate the effects of antibiotics on growing bacteria colonies, or reveal antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Awareness campaigns not enough to stop superbug crisis in developing countries
In a landmark study of health behaviours in developing countries, researchers have found that awareness campaigns alone are not enough to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and, in fact, could risk making the superbug crisis worse. The research project, led by Dr Marco J Haenssgen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Sustainable Development, involved more than 2,000 people in Thailand and Laos and challenges conventional wisdom that global public awareness campaigns are one of the best tools to tackle drug resistance.