A scientist to probe the causes of superbugs infections in babies, Health News, AND HealthWorld

New Delhi: An International Team of Scientists Investigates the Causes of Life-threatening Sepsis and Drug-Resistant Infections in Babies in Many Countries, Including India in the World aim to: fight against infant mortality.

More than 80 researchers from 11 countries gathered in New Delhi to launch a study under the Expanded Program of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) to develop new and improved antibiotic therapies for new -nés.

While significant progress has been made in recent years to improve the health of children around the world, including a 50% reduction in infant mortality since 1990, the number of preventable deaths among newborns remains unacceptable.

Neonatal deaths now account for 44% of all deaths among children under five.

The estimated number of newborn deaths attributable to drug-resistant infections is of great concern.

"Antibacterial resistance is one of the major obstacles to achieving the goal of sustainable development aimed at reducing neonatal mortality," said Manica Balasegaram, director of GARDP.

The study, conducted in hospitals and neonatal units in many countries, including India, Bangladesh, Brazil, China and South Africa, focuses on collecting information clinics on babies with significant sepsis.

The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will generate a solid foundation of evidence on the management of neonatal sepsis that can be used as a basis for evaluating future interventions in newborns.

The results of interest will include mortality, the use of antibiotics and the duration of antimicrobial therapy – there is currently little data on these parameters.

Sepsis, the body's response to infection, can be life threatening and poses a particular threat to newborns because their immune system is not fully developed.

Increasing rates of resistant bacteria to existing treatments are reported globally, with hospitalized infants and infants at high risk of developing drug-resistant nosocomial infections.

The susceptibility of newborns to sepsis is further compounded by difficulties in diagnosing serious bacterial infections since the symptoms and signs may be nonspecific and difficult to detect.

The data generated by the study will inform GARPD's ambition to develop and provide novel antibiotic treatments for neonates with drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Limited research on newborns has resulted in a lack of evidence on the appropriate treatment of serious and drug-resistant infections in this vulnerable population.