Oxford University study finds spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in malnourished children

A study by the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research (IOI) has revealed that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are rapidly spreading in malnourished children under five years old in Niger. The study, which analysed over 3,000 rectal swabs from 1,371 children treated for severe malnutrition between 2016 and 2017, found that 76% of children carried bacteria with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes, which can break down many commonly used antibiotics. 25% carried bacteria with carbapenemase genes like blaNDM, conferring resistance to some of the most powerful and last line antibiotics. The study highlights the need for more effective treatment options for these children, as they are some of the most vulnerable in the world.