A LEADING microbiologist has praised the success of a campaign to reduce excessive antiobiotic prescribing.

Professor Adrian Walmsley, an expert on infectious diseases at Durham University, said the Moxy Malone cartoon campaign, had helped to raise awareness.

The detective character has appeared on bus stops, posters and leaflets throughout the region in recent months.

Created by VIZ comic illustrator Steve Donald, the character tracks down the truth that antibiotics only work with bacterial illnesses and not with viral illnesses such as colds and flu.

Microbiologists fear the misuse of antiobiotics, including the failure of patients to complete their courses, will encourage new strains of drug resistant superbugs to evolve.

Prof Walmsley has also warned that the world probably has only a decade left to develop a new family of antiobiotic drugs before the superbugs become impossible to treat.

This week, the Moxy Malone campaign swept the board at the region's Chartered Institute of Public Relations awards in Newcastle, winning three honours, including the prize for the best overall campaign.