Antibiotics for common childhood infections no longer effective

Published: Wednesday, November 1, 2023 - 12:00 AM

This article was originally published by University of Sydney Antibiotics for common childhood infections no longer effective - The University of Sydney, and broadcast published in ABC Pacific Study finds medicines used to treat children with common infections aren't likely to work in the Pacific - ABC Pacific

The World Health Organisation has declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. In newborns, an estimated three million cases of sepsis occur globally each year, with up to 570,000 deaths: many of these are due to lack of effective antibiotics to treat resistant bacteria. The findings, published in Lancet Regional Health, Coverage gaps in empiric antibiotic regimens used to treat serious bacterial infections in neonates and children in Southeast Asia and the Pacific - ScienceDirect adds to mounting evidence that common bacteria responsible for sepsis and meningitis in children are often resistant to prescribed antibiotics.