Antibiotics no longer effective as they used to be against common childhood infections

If you or your child has a common infection like pneumonia, meningitis, or sepsis, don’t be surprised if the prescribed antibiotics fail to work. A new international study led by the University of Sydney has found that certain antibiotics, which are commonly used to treat these infections in children, maybe less than 50% effective. 

The research examined over 6,500 bacterial isolates across 11 countries from various publications and revealed startling findings. It highlighted how areas like Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, are more affected due to high rates of antibiotic resistance, leading to thousands of avoidable child deaths each year. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as one of the top 10 global public health threats to humanity, with infants being particularly at risk. Data suggests that there are nearly three million cases of sepsis occurring globally each year in newborns alone, resulting in up to 570,000 deaths. The growing resistance to antibiotics is fast becoming a major contributor to these high fatality rates. 

Antibiotics Resistance: A Disturbing Global Phenomenon 

According to Dr. Phoebe Williams from the University of Sydney, a specialist who is leading efforts to reduce AMR in high-burden healthcare settings, there is an upward trend in the instances of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in children across the globe. Children are more vulnerable to the impacts of AMR as unfortunately, new antibiotics are less likely to be tested on or approved for use in children. 

Dr. Williams advocates that the findings of this study should prompt worldwide action, emphasizing that no country, including Australia, is immune to the growing problem of AMR. The rise in antibiotic resistance is faster than anticipated, and there’s a dire need for fresh tactics to tackle this issue and prevent unnecessary child fatalities. 

The Need for Updated Global Antibiotic Guidelines 

The last time the WHO updated its antibiotic usage guidelines was back in 2013. The recent findings reveal an urgent need for these guidelines to be revised, reflecting the swift changes in antibiotic resistance rates. The study points to specific antibiotics such as ceftriaxone, which may be effective only in a third of sepsis or meningitis cases in infants. Likewise, gentamicin, another antibiotic commonly used alongside aminopenicillins, showed low effectiveness in battling bloodstream infections in infants and children. 

Funding the Future of Antibiotic Treatments 

Dr. Williams suggests that a key solution lies in funding research for the development of new antibiotic treatments specifically catered towards children and newborns. Currently, the clinical spotlight on antibiotics is predominantly focused on adults, leaving children and infants underserved. This scenario significantly limits the options and data available for potential new treatments. She underscores considering drugs like fosfomycin, an old antibiotic that might serve as a temporary lifesaver in treating multidrug-resistant urinary tract infections in children. 

To speed up the availability of antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant infections in children, Dr. Williams is also collaborating with the WHO’s Paediatric Drug Optimisation Committee. This is part of a critical effort to diminish the child mortality rate linked to AMR.

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