Vertical transmission of antimicrobial resistance in neonatal sepsis
Unchecked, the current AMR epidemic will continue to disproportionately impact the most vulnerable populations. Evaluating the upstream sources for neonatal sepsis will enable the design of prevention strategies. These novel applications could significantly contribute to the fight against AMR and the resulting neonatal mortality. Global control of AMR cannot proceed without better understanding the prevalence and risk factors associated with AMR spread in low-resource settings. -Ashley Styczynski
Evaluating the role of vertical transmission of antimicrobial resistance in neonatal sepsis
Objective
The goal of this work is to understand transmission pathways of antimicrobial resistant organisms that lead to neonatal sepsis.
Rationale
Why we care about this
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat that disproportionately affects low-income countries and leads to substantial neonatal mortality. Accordingly, an ongoing study of childhood mortality in Bangladesh has revealed a common cause of death among neonates is sepsis from multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs).
Why we see the knowledge we are generating as strategic
It remains unclear to what extent neonatal infections from MDROs are being caused by exposure to maternal community-acquired flora and/or by exposure to the hospital environment. Understanding the relative contributions of maternal colonization and hospital exposure is necessary for designing effective interventions to interrupt the spread of MDROs to newborns.
What stage on the Stairway of Research contribution to problem solving
Stage 2 – Explicate the causal paths that generates the problem
Project dates
July 2019 – ongoing
Stage of work
What has been accomplished so far within the project
We have enrolled a cohort of mother/baby pairs to assess for colonization patterns around the time of birth and have collected data on possible risk factors for colonization with resistant organisms.
What are we focusing on now
We are in the process of completing hospital-based sample collection and will begin enrolling a cohort of mother/baby pairs who have undergone home-based delivery.
People
Primary Contact: Ashley Styczynski
Stanford University
. Steve Luby, Professor of Medicine
. Ashley Styczynski, Infectious Disease Fellow
. Eric Foote, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
. Shahana Parveen, Assistant Scientist
. Badrul Amin, Assistant Scientist
. Farzana Islam, Deputy Project Coordinator
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
. Emily Gurley, Associate Scientist
Faridpur Medical College Hospital
. Abu Faisal Pervez, Assistant Professor of Neonatology
. Dilruba Zeba, Associate Professor of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
. Mohammad Aminul Islam, Assistant Professor
Funding
Fogarty International Center: Global Health Equity Scholars (GHES) Program: GHES Fellowship