Antimicrobial Resistance in Pediatric Infections
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance in paediatric infections poses a significant threat to child health worldwide, undermining the efficacy of standard antibiotic therapies and complicating clinical management. Young patients, particularly neonates and those with compromised immunity, are vulnerable to infections by Gram-negative bacilli such as Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenters that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases or carbapenemases. The emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms in hospital and community settings has driven higher morbidity, longer hospital stays and increased mortality. Resistance mechanisms include enzymatic degradation of antibiotics, target modification and efflux pumps, often encoded on mobile genetic elements that facilitate rapid dissemination. Therapeutic options for resistant strains remain limited, with older agents such as colistin and tigecycline reintroduced despite toxicity concerns, while access to newer β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations is uneven globally. Infection prevention and control measures, antimicrobial stewardship programmes and robust surveillance are essential to curb resistance trends and safeguard current and future antibiotic efficacy for the paediatric population.
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Antimicrobial Resistance in Pediatric Infections publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antimicrobial resistance in pediatric infections across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Antimicrobial resistance: The ability of microorganisms to survive and proliferate despite exposure to drugs designed to inhibit or kill them.
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL): Enzymes that confer resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins by hydrolysing the β-lactam ring.
Carbapenemase: A subtype of β-lactamase capable of degrading carbapenems, often associated with high-level resistance.
Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs): Pathogens that exhibit resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes.
Neonatal sepsis: A bloodstream infection occurring in infants within the first 28 days of life, frequently severe and requiring prompt treatment.
References
- High risk of bloodstream infection of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae carriers in neutropenic children with hematological diseases. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control (2023).
- Therapeutic Options and Outcomes for the Treatment of Neonates and Preterms with Gram-Negative Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: A Systematic Review. Antibiotics (2022).
- Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of infection/colonization due to carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in neonatal patients. BMC Microbiology (2022).
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