With infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship high on the Australian agenda,the newly established Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has delivered a confronting national snapshot that places antibiotic use and resistance firmly back on the operational agenda.
The agency has released the Sixth Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health, known as the AURA report, collating 2022 to 2024 data from hospitals, residential aged care and the broader community. The findings reveal that reports of critical antibiotic resistance rose by 25 percent in 2024, while fewer than half of antibiotics administered after surgery were deemed appropriate.
For the cleaning and facilities services sector, the implications are immediate. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to medicines designed to eliminate them. Infections become harder to treat. Some edge towards untreatable. Infection prevention and environmental hygiene therefore sit at the frontline of a growing national challenge.
Prescription pressure points
In 2024, 23.2 million antibiotic prescriptions were supplied under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to around 37.1 percent of Australians. That figure marks a 4.8 percent increase from 2023. Over the same period, reports of critical resistance climbed by 25.2 percent.
The report identifies several areas of concern. Only 45 percent of antibiotics given after surgeries were considered appropriate. In residential aged care, antimicrobial prescribing rose sharply, with 14.4 percent more prescriptions issued to older Australians than in the previous year. More than a third, 34.7 percent, were used for prolonged periods exceeding six months.
Hospitals presented a more encouraging picture in one key category. Among so-called last line antibiotics used to treat life-threatening infections, 88.1 percent were prescribed appropriately. Even so, overall prescribing practices varied significantly across healthcare settings.
A spokesperson for the Australian CDC said the data highlights clear pressure points.
“The fact that, in Australia, cases of critical antimicrobial resistance increased by 25 percent in 2024, and less than half of the antibiotics given after surgeries were appropriate, shows the need for us to focus our attention a lot more strongly in targeted areas,” the spokesperson said.
Stewardship under scrutiny
Encouragingly, overall antibiotic use in Australia remains almost 21 percent lower than a decade ago. Yet the report suggests that antibiotics considered lower risk for promoting resistance are being used more frequently, including in situations where clinical benefit remains unclear.
For cleaning contractors and facility managers operating in hospitals, aged care and high-risk environments, this evolving landscape reinforces the value of robust infection prevention programs. Environmental cleaning, correct disinfectant selection and compliance monitoring form a critical layer of defence that supports antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.
The AURA report does not introduce new policy measures. Instead, it establishes a national evidence base to guide stewardship programs, infection prevention strategies, clinical guidelines and future regulatory decisions.
“This is exactly why national surveillance matters,” the CDC spokesperson said. “By detecting risks through concrete data, Australia can act before antimicrobial resistance becomes pervasive.”
Released just weeks after the Australian CDC formally commenced operations on 1 January 2026, the report represents a foundational element of Australia’s long-term response to antimicrobial resistance. For the cleaning industry, the message is clear. Prevention remains powerful. Vigilance remains vital.
