A review of antimicrobial resistance in children's gut infections in low- and middle-income countries
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Published on
05.05.25
- Challenges
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health priority. A new review paper led by scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and published in Frontiers in Microbiology (Apr 2025) summarizes the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in enteric pathogens among children 10-years-old and under in low-and middle-income countries.
The review also presents the proportions of pooled resistance in Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella to clinically relevant antibiotics.
The researchers searched six online repositories (PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CABI and EMBASE) for relevant articles published between January 2005 and September 2024.
The findings show that the four bacterial pathogen species are becoming increasingly resistant to clinically important antimicrobials, a worrying trend.
Regional differences in resistance patterns highlight the need to strengthen national and regional surveillance to detect regional variations. This will ensure appropriate treatment interventions and antibiotic stewardship.
Citation
Okumu, N.O., Muloi, D.M., Moodley, A., Watson, J., Kiarie, A., Ochieng, L., Wasonga, J.O., Mutisya, C., Alumasa, L., Ngeranwa, J.J.N., Cumming, O. and Cook, E.A.J. 2025. Antimicrobial resistance in community-acquired enteric pathogens amongst children ≤10-years in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Microbiology 16: 1539160.
Photo: Milk in cans, Ol Kalou, Kenya (photo credit: ILRI/Paul Karaimu)