SYDNEY, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Antibiotic resistance in children is rising globally and will worsen over the next decade, threatening the effectiveness of life-saving antibiotics, an Australian-led study reveals.
The study, led by Australia's University of Sydney (USYD), found that antibiotic resistance increased in every region between 2004 and 2022, with babies and children in intensive care and those in lower-resource countries most affected, according to a USYD statement released on Tuesday.
Researchers from Australia, China and the United States analyzed more than 106,000 infection samples from children aged up to 18 across 82 countries and regions.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria evolve to resist antibiotic treatment, making infections harder to treat. Children are especially vulnerable as they experience high rates of bacterial infections but have fewer antibiotic treatment options than adults, the researchers said, noting that about 840,000 deaths in children under five worldwide in 2021 were associated with AMR.
The findings, published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Pediatrics, found resistance rose most sharply among antibiotics classified by the World Health Organization as "last resort" or "to be closely monitored" to prevent overuse and preserve their effectiveness when first-line treatments fail.
Two types of Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella, were identified as driving resistance globally, with the latter recording the fastest growth, particularly in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and the Western Pacific, the study showed.
The team also launched AMR in Kids, an online platform tracking antibiotic resistance by country, bacteria and antibiotic class, with forecasts to 2035 to help improve prescribing and public understanding of AMR, while calling for child-friendly antibiotics, clearer dosing guidance and more research funding to safely reduce antibiotic use. ■
