Neonatal Colonization With Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

In low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), neonatal bacterial infections are mainly caused by Enterobacterales species and Staphylococcus aureus, which are also the leading causes of mortality directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance. As bacterial colonization often precedes infection, better knowledge of colonization is crucial to prevent antibiotic-resistant neonatal sepsis. OBJECTIVE To synthesize current evidence on the prevalence of and factors associated with colonization with third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales (3GCRE), carbapenemresistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) during the first 3 months of life in LMICs.