Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.

Neonatal bloodstream infections (BSI) make a substantial contribution to morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but data on the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Tanzania are limited. We describe the prevalence, resistance patterns, and associated facto...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ganga S Moorthy, Matthew P Rubach, Anna Sechu, Ronald Mbwasi, Nyemo Peter, Ibukunoluwa C Kalu, John A Crump, Dorothy E Dow, Blandina T Mmbaga, Aisa Shayo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319816
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849337480899198976
author Ganga S Moorthy
Matthew P Rubach
Anna Sechu
Ronald Mbwasi
Nyemo Peter
Ibukunoluwa C Kalu
John A Crump
Dorothy E Dow
Blandina T Mmbaga
Aisa Shayo
author_facet Ganga S Moorthy
Matthew P Rubach
Anna Sechu
Ronald Mbwasi
Nyemo Peter
Ibukunoluwa C Kalu
John A Crump
Dorothy E Dow
Blandina T Mmbaga
Aisa Shayo
author_sort Ganga S Moorthy
collection DOAJ
description Neonatal bloodstream infections (BSI) make a substantial contribution to morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but data on the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Tanzania are limited. We describe the prevalence, resistance patterns, and associated factors of neonatal BSI at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), a large referral hospital in northern Tanzania. We conducted a prospective, observational study involving infants aged 0-60 days with perinatal risk factors or clinical signs of sepsis. Aerobic blood cultures were obtained at enrollment and monitored using a continuously monitored blood culture instrument. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using standard phenotypic methods. Vital status was obtained on days 2, 7, and 28 post-enrollment. BSI was defined as the isolation of established neonatal pathogens, including yeast and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CoNS). Early-onset BSI occurred on day of life (DOL) 0-2, while late-onset BSI occurred on DOL 3 or later. Among 236 enrolled infants, blood culture was obtained in 233. BSI occurred in 106 (45.5%) of 233 infants, 50 (47.2%) were early-onset, and 56 (52.8%) were late-onset BSI. The isolated pathogens included 58 (54.7%) Gram-positive bacteria, 40 (37.7%) Gram-negative bacteria, and 8 (7.5%) yeast. CoNS (n = 55, 51.9%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 35, 33.0%) were the most common pathogens. Notably, all K. pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers, resistant to ampicillin and ceftriaxone. Among the 56 infants who died, 29 (51.8%) had BSI; 11 (19.6%) infants with EO-BSI, and 18 (32.1%) with LO-BSI. Infants requiring respiratory support at admission had a 1.89-fold increased adjusted odds of BSI (95% CI, 1.05-3.44). We found high prevalence of neonatal BSI due to bacteria with a high prevalence of AMR, and BSI was associated with high mortality. There is an urgent need for effective preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions to address BSI among hospitalized infants in northern Tanzania.
format Article
id doaj-art-5200345f941a447db68e2ae449905beb
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-5200345f941a447db68e2ae449905beb2025-08-20T03:44:40ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01203e031981610.1371/journal.pone.0319816Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.Ganga S MoorthyMatthew P RubachAnna SechuRonald MbwasiNyemo PeterIbukunoluwa C KaluJohn A CrumpDorothy E DowBlandina T MmbagaAisa ShayoNeonatal bloodstream infections (BSI) make a substantial contribution to morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but data on the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Tanzania are limited. We describe the prevalence, resistance patterns, and associated factors of neonatal BSI at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), a large referral hospital in northern Tanzania. We conducted a prospective, observational study involving infants aged 0-60 days with perinatal risk factors or clinical signs of sepsis. Aerobic blood cultures were obtained at enrollment and monitored using a continuously monitored blood culture instrument. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using standard phenotypic methods. Vital status was obtained on days 2, 7, and 28 post-enrollment. BSI was defined as the isolation of established neonatal pathogens, including yeast and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CoNS). Early-onset BSI occurred on day of life (DOL) 0-2, while late-onset BSI occurred on DOL 3 or later. Among 236 enrolled infants, blood culture was obtained in 233. BSI occurred in 106 (45.5%) of 233 infants, 50 (47.2%) were early-onset, and 56 (52.8%) were late-onset BSI. The isolated pathogens included 58 (54.7%) Gram-positive bacteria, 40 (37.7%) Gram-negative bacteria, and 8 (7.5%) yeast. CoNS (n = 55, 51.9%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 35, 33.0%) were the most common pathogens. Notably, all K. pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers, resistant to ampicillin and ceftriaxone. Among the 56 infants who died, 29 (51.8%) had BSI; 11 (19.6%) infants with EO-BSI, and 18 (32.1%) with LO-BSI. Infants requiring respiratory support at admission had a 1.89-fold increased adjusted odds of BSI (95% CI, 1.05-3.44). We found high prevalence of neonatal BSI due to bacteria with a high prevalence of AMR, and BSI was associated with high mortality. There is an urgent need for effective preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions to address BSI among hospitalized infants in northern Tanzania.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319816
spellingShingle Ganga S Moorthy
Matthew P Rubach
Anna Sechu
Ronald Mbwasi
Nyemo Peter
Ibukunoluwa C Kalu
John A Crump
Dorothy E Dow
Blandina T Mmbaga
Aisa Shayo
Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.
PLoS ONE
title Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.
title_full Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.
title_fullStr Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.
title_full_unstemmed Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.
title_short Clinical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in Northern Tanzania, 2022-2023.
title_sort clinical characteristics antimicrobial resistance and mortality of neonatal bloodstream infections in northern tanzania 2022 2023
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319816
work_keys_str_mv AT gangasmoorthy clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT matthewprubach clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT annasechu clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT ronaldmbwasi clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT nyemopeter clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT ibukunoluwackalu clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT johnacrump clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT dorothyedow clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT blandinatmmbaga clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023
AT aisashayo clinicalcharacteristicsantimicrobialresistanceandmortalityofneonatalbloodstreaminfectionsinnortherntanzania20222023