Global study finds antibiotic-resistant bacteria increasingly leave children vulnerable to common infections

A study led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in collaboration with the University of Sydney, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed 106,581 infection samples from children aged up to 18 years across 82 countries. It found that antibiotic resistance increased in every region between 2004 and 2022.

Babies and children in intensive care, and those in countries with fewer healthcare resources, are most affected. Co-author Associate Professor Penelope Bryant from MCRI, who is also a doctor for one of the patients featured, said severe infections such as sepsis and pneumonia are driving the increase. These are often caused by Acinetobacter baumannii, a bacterium with high drug resistance. Another bacterium, Klebsiella, which causes urinary tract infections and liver abscesses, recorded the fastest increase in resistance, especially in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Western Pacific.

Statistical modeling projects that by 2035, resistance to last-line antibiotics will rise substantially, reaching 82% for Acinetobacter baumannii and 35% for Klebsiella. Bryant noted that children have been largely overlooked in global antibiotic resistance surveillance and research, leading to a lack of child-friendly formulations and clear dosing guidelines.

To address this, researchers launched a website called AMR in Kids, providing region- and pathogen-specific forecasts to 2035. Pediatrician Professor Chris Blyth, incoming president of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases, called the study and website important, highlighting the uneven global spread of the problem.

The study also emphasizes that in low-income countries, unregulated antibiotic use and poor sanitation drive resistance, while in high-income countries, overuse in farming, veterinary care, and healthcare are factors. In low-income countries, drug-resistant infections are a leading cause of death in children under five.

An example is 13-year-old Harry Booth from Australia, who requires immunosuppressants after a kidney transplant, making him more vulnerable to resistant infections. His mother expressed concern that backup treatments might also fail.