As per an announcement made by an Auckland-based health symposium, rheumatic fever and superbugs are the two greatest infectious disease threats in New Zealand. It is to be mentioned here that as close to 350 medical professionals and scientists attended the New Zealand Superbugs Symposium that held yesterday, the motive was to discuss bacterial disease threats and also the ways by which one can fight back.

University of Otago epidemiologist Associate Professor Michael Baker showcased the data which showed that the superbugs are on a rise in the region. He also said that research shows that the burden of infectious disease in New Zealand has increased significantly in the last 20 years.

It may be noted here that the number of hospitalisations due to infectious disease is on a rise and grew by close to 20,000 a year from 1989 to 2008. Auckland District Health Board clinical microbiologist and infectious disease physician Sally Roberts is of a view that the rise of anti-microbial resistant organisms, for instance ESBLs was one of the biggest challenge for the people in the medical profession.