Among US children, more infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria

Study finds increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant, Gram-negative superbugs

2014-03-20

(Press-News.org) Infections caused by a concerning type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise in U.S. children, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and available online. Although still uncommon, the bacteria are increasingly found in children of all ages, especially those 1-5 years old, raising concerns about dwindling treatment options.

Researchers led by Latania K. Logan, MD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, analyzed resistance patterns in approximately 370,000 clinical isolates from pediatric patients, collected nationwide between 1999 and 2011. Specifically, they determined the prevalence of a resistant type of Gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, that produces a key enzyme, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). The enzyme thwarts many strong antibiotics. Another indicator of ESBL prevalence, susceptibility to third-generation cephalosporins—an important class of antibiotics used to treat many infections—was also measured.

The prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria increased from 0.28 percent to 0.92 percent from 1999 to 2011; resistance to third-generation cephalosporins increased from 1.4 percent to 3.0 percent. ESBLs were found in children across the country of all ages, but slightly more than half of the isolates with this resistance were from those 1-5 years old. Nearly three-quarters (74.4 percent) of these bacteria were resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics.

"These antibiotic-resistant bacteria have traditionally been found in health care settings but are increasingly being found in the community, in people who have not had a significant history of health care exposure," Dr. Logan said. "In our study, though previous medical histories of the subjects were unknown, 51.3 percent of the children presented in the outpatient or ambulatory setting."

While the overall rate of these infections in children is still low, ESBL-producing bacteria can spread rapidly and have been linked to longer hospital stays, higher health care costs, and increased mortality, the study authors noted. In a 2013 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called ESBLs a "serious concern" and a significant threat to public health.

Physicians should obtain cultures for suspected bacterial infections to help determine which antibiotics are best, Dr. Logan said. "Some infections in children that have typically been treated with oral antibiotics in the past may now require hospitalization, treatment with intravenous drugs, or both, as there may not be an oral option available."

More research is needed to define risk factors for these infections in children, their prevalence in different settings, and their molecular epidemiology, Dr. Logan said. A companion study by several of the same researchers, also now available online in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, suggests that children with neurologic conditions are at higher risk for infections caused by ESBL-producing bacteria.

Additional drug development, keeping younger patients in mind, is also needed. "The overwhelming majority of current research for new pharmaceuticals against antibiotic-resistant organisms are in adults," Dr. Logan said. "New drug options will need to be available for young children."

INFORMATION: Published quarterly, the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society represents the spectrum of peer-reviewed, scientific and clinical information on perinatal, childhood, and adolescent infectious diseases. The journal is a publication of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), the world's largest professional organization of experts in the care and prevention of infectious diseases in children.

PIDS membership encompasses leaders across the global scientific and public health spectrum, including clinical care, advocacy, academics, government, and the pharmaceutical industry. From fellowship training to continuing medical education, research, regulatory issues and guideline development, PIDS members are the core professionals advocating for the improved health of children with infectious diseases both nationally and around the world, participating in critical public health and medical professional advisory committees that determine the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, immunization practices in children, and the education of pediatricians. For more information, visit http://www.pids.org.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Loblolly pine's immense genome conquered

2014-03-20

The massive genome sequence of the loblolly pine — the most commercially important tree species in the United States and the source of most American paper products — has been completed by a nationwide research team, led by a UC Davis scientist. The draft genome — approximately seven times bigger than the human genome — is the largest genome sequenced to date and the most complete conifer genome sequence ever published. The sequencing was accomplished by using, for the first time, a faster and more efficient analytical process. The achievement is described in two papers ...

Safety first, children

2014-03-20

VIDEO: A mother and child discuss whether a scenario is dangerous, for a new study by the University of Iowa examining how parents can keep their children safe. Click here for more information. As parents, we've all been there: Watching our children teeter on a chair, leap from the sofa, or careen about the playground, fearing the worst. And, we all wonder, how can we teach them to be safer? Such was the goal of a team of researchers at the University of Iowa, who analyzed in ...

Tiny transistors for extreme environs

2014-03-20

SALT LAKE CITY, March 20, 2014 – University of Utah electrical engineers fabricated the smallest plasma transistors that can withstand high temperatures and ionizing radiation found in a nuclear reactor. Such transistors someday might enable smartphones that take and collect medical X-rays on a battlefield, and devices to measure air quality in real time. "These plasma-based electronics can be used to control and guide robots to conduct tasks inside the nuclear reactor," says Massood Tabib-Azar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Microplasma transistors ...

Where are we with breast cancer in 2013?

2014-03-20

The global burden of breast cancer remains immense in 2013, with over 1.6 million new cases being diagnosed annually. This burden has been increasing at a rate of 3.1% per year, and while the majority of new cases are diagnosed among women in developed countries, the 450,000 deaths per year from the disease are now equally divided between the developing and developed world, the 9th European Breast Cancer conference (EBCC-9) will hear tomorrow (Friday). Professor Peter Boyle, Director of the University of Strathclyde Institute of Global Public Health at the International ...

Choice of GP practice pilot most popular with young commuters and patients moving home

2014-03-20

A pilot scheme allowing patients to visit GPs outside the area they live in was most popular among younger commuters and people who had moved house but did not want to change their GP, according to a new report by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The Department of Health's Choice of GP pilot scheme found that while demand overall was modest, participants were generally positive about the scheme and there was little sign of major increased cost to primary care trusts (PCTs) for providing the service. Patients will be able to register with volunteer practices ...

Future heat waves pose threat to global food supply

2014-03-20

Heat waves could significantly reduce crop yields and threaten global food supply if climate change is not tackled and reversed. This is according to a new study led by researchers at the University of East Anglia and published today, 20 March, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, which has, for the first time, estimated the global effects of extreme temperatures and elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the production of maize, wheat and soybean. Earlier studies have found that climate change is projected to reduce maize yields globally ...

Data on antibiotic use in non-EU countries should stimulate development of action plans

2014-03-20

A new study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, provides the first ever reliable data on antibiotic use in non-European Union (EU) southern and eastern European countries and newly independent states. The research, which was led by Dr Herman Goossens, of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO) at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, is a critical first step in identifying targets for improvements in the way antibiotics are used in these countries. The authors hope that the findings will aid the development of national action plans ...

Fossils of earliest stick insect to mimic plants discovered

2014-03-19

An ancient stick insect species may have mimicked plant leaves for defense, according to a paper published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on March 19, 2014 by Maomin Wang, from Capital Normal University, China and colleagues. Many insects have developed defense mechanisms, including the ability to mimic the surrounding environment. Stick and leaf insects mimic plants from their environment, but scientists know little about the original of this interaction due to little or no previous stick insect fossil records showing this adaptation. The scientists discovered three ...

Large feathered dinosaur species discovered in North America

2014-03-19

Fossils found in western North America reveal a new species of large-bodied, feathered oviraptorosaurian theropod dinosaur from the latest Cretaceous Period, according to a paper published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on March 19, 2014 by Matthew Lamanna from Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pennsylvania and colleagues. Known for their beaks, long necks, and relatively short tails, the bird-like oviraptorosaurian group contains dinosaurs with body sizes ranging from a few kilograms to more than one metric ton. The scientists described three well-preserved partial ...

Fossilized bighorn sheep poop reveals early Holocene population

2014-03-19

Genetic analysis of ancient poop found off the coast of Mexico suggests bighorn sheep may be native to the island, according to a paper published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on March 19, 2014 by Benjamin Wilder from University of California Riverside and colleagues. Bighorn sheep were not thought to inhabit Tiburón Island, the largest island in the Gulf of California and Mexico, prior to their introduction in 1975. Scientists discovered fossilized dung in the mountains of Tiburón Island that challenges that assumption. Scientists compared the pellet-shaped poop ...

Among US children, more infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: