Researchers analyzed more than 100,000 bacterial isolates collected from pediatric patients in hospital wards, intensive care units (ICUs), and outpatient settings worldwide. The analysis found that more than a third of the isolates were resistant to at least one first-line antibiotic, and roughly one in five showed resistance to second-line antibiotics. The study noted that antimicrobial resistance is especially high in ICUs, among the youngest children suffering from the most severe infections, and in resource-limited settings.
Global Pediatric Bacterial Isolates Analysis
Penelope Bryant Statements on Childhood Resistance
Penelope Bryant, corresponding author and research clinician at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia, told CIDRAP News that the findings should serve as a “wake-up call.” Bryant explained that childhood antibiotic resistance has largely remained invisible because people do not view it as a major problem, partly due to children having stronger immune systems after passing the neonatal period.
Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance Database
To address data gaps regarding drug-resistant infections in children beyond newborns in low- and middle-income countries, the researchers utilized information from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance database. The dataset encompassed 106,581 pediatric bacterial isolates from children aged 0 to 18 across 82 countries between 2004 and 2022. Nearly three-quarters of the isolates originated from hospital wards and ICUs, with the most frequently identified pathogens being Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella species, and Escherichia coli.
Access, Watch, and Reserve Antibiotics Resistance Trends
Overall, resistance was highest at 36% for Access antibiotics, while 22% of isolates were resistant to Watch antibiotics and 13% to Reserve antibiotics. While resistance to Access antibiotics declined across most inpatient settings during the study period, resistance increased for both Watch and Reserve categories, particularly in ICUs. Furthermore, resistance across all categories was highest in resource-limited regions, including countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central America. Projections indicate the problem is likely to worsen globally in the coming years unless addressed.
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