A major study reveals that more than 3 million children died of infections linked to antimicrobial resistance in 2022.
The study highlights the urgent need for regional and global strategies to control the pediatric RAM, in particular in regions with a high load of morbidity such as Southeast Asia and Africa. Resistance to antimicrobials is a serious threat to children, who are very vulnerable to infections. Access to new antibiotic formulations is often much more limited for children due to product development delays.
Study data show that, for 2022 alone, more than 752,000 children in Southeast Asia and 659,000 children in Africa died of complications related to antimicrobial resistance. Many of these deaths are linked to the use of Watch antibiotics (drugs with a high risk of resistance) and reserve antibiotics (last resort treatments for serious and multidistant infections).
Monitoring and reserve antibiotics are not intended for first -line treatment and their use must be limited to people who need it in order to preserve their effectiveness and reduce the development of resistance.
Between 2019 and 2021, the use of Watch antibiotics increased by 160 % in Southeast Asia and 126 % in Africa. During the same period, the use of reserve antibiotics increased by 45 % in Southeast Asia and 125 % in Africa.
Globally, out of more than 3 million deaths of children, 2 million were associated with the use of Watch and Reserve antibiotics.
« If the increase in the use of Watch and Reserve antibiotics may be necessary in response to the concomitant increase in drug resistant infections, the sharp increase in the use of these drugs has several serious long -term risks “Commented Professor Joseph Harwell, co-author of the study. “” Their increased use, in particular in the absence of careful monitoring, increases the risk of resistance and limits future therapeutic options. If bacteria develop resistance to these antibiotics, there will be little, if not at all, alternatives to treat multidistant infectionss ».
Several factors contribute to the severity of RAM in low and intermediate income countries, including overcrowded hospitals, poor health conditions and insufficient infection prevention measures that facilitate the spread of resistant pathogens in health care and communities.
Professor Harwell added: ” Mortality rates, which are already alarming, will continue to increase significantly, especially in low or intermediate income countries where access to alternative treatments and advanced medical interventions can be limited. The resolution of this problem requires urgent and coordinated action at regional and global levels ».
