Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial

Introduction Infections are a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally and can be transmitted from mother-to-child vertically or horizontally. Fiji has higher rates of serious neonatal infections and infant skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) than high-income countries. Research from the Gam...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: John Hart, Eric Rafai, Kim Mulholland, Andrew Steer, Emma Watts, Stephanie Clark, Catherine Satzke, Fiona M Russell, Eleanor F G Neal, Kathryn Bright, Cattram Duong Nguyen, Casey L Pell, Maeve Hume-Nixon, Tupou Ratu, James Fong, Kelera Sakumeni, Ilisapeci Tuibeqa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e061157.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850144497781964800
author John Hart
Eric Rafai
Kim Mulholland
Andrew Steer
Emma Watts
Stephanie Clark
Catherine Satzke
Fiona M Russell
Eleanor F G Neal
Kathryn Bright
Cattram Duong Nguyen
Casey L Pell
Maeve Hume-Nixon
Tupou Ratu
James Fong
Kelera Sakumeni
Ilisapeci Tuibeqa
author_facet John Hart
Eric Rafai
Kim Mulholland
Andrew Steer
Emma Watts
Stephanie Clark
Catherine Satzke
Fiona M Russell
Eleanor F G Neal
Kathryn Bright
Cattram Duong Nguyen
Casey L Pell
Maeve Hume-Nixon
Tupou Ratu
James Fong
Kelera Sakumeni
Ilisapeci Tuibeqa
author_sort John Hart
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Infections are a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally and can be transmitted from mother-to-child vertically or horizontally. Fiji has higher rates of serious neonatal infections and infant skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) than high-income countries. Research from the Gambia found that a single dose of oral azithromycin in labour decreased bacterial carriage and infections in mothers and infants, particularly infant skin infections. The Bulabula MaPei clinical trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of a single dose of azithromycin in labour in reducing the incidence of maternal and infant SSTIs and other infections and the impact on bacterial carriage. It will also describe the effect of azithromycin on antimicrobial (AMR) resistance, the maternal and infant microbiome, and infant dysbiosis.Methods and analysis We are conducting a blinded, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial administering 2 g of oral azithromycin, or placebo, given to healthy, pregnant women (≥18 years) in labour in Suva, Fiji. The primary outcome is the cumulative incidence of SSTIs in infants by 3 months of age. Secondary outcomes include the incidence of other infant and maternal infections, and safety and tolerability of azithromycin in mother and infant. Following informed consent, 2110 pregnant women will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio, with all study staff and participants masked to group allocation. Mother/infant pairs will be followed up for 12 months over six visits collecting clinical data on infections, antimicrobial use, safety and anthropometrics, in addition to nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, rectovaginal and vaginal swabs, maternal breastmilk and infant stool samples, in order to compare bacterial carriage, AMR rates and microbiome. Recruitment for Bulabula MaPei started in June 2019.Ethics and dissemination This trial was approved and is being conducted according to the protocol approved by The Royal Children’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee, Australia, and the Fiji National Health Research and Ethics Review Committee. The findings of this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration number NCT03925480.
format Article
id doaj-art-a74ceb551d844091aaa794dd04dfbf81
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2022-12-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-a74ceb551d844091aaa794dd04dfbf812025-08-20T02:28:20ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-12-01121210.1136/bmjopen-2022-061157Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trialJohn Hart0Eric Rafai1Kim Mulholland2Andrew Steer3Emma Watts4Stephanie Clark5Catherine Satzke6Fiona M Russell7Eleanor F G Neal8Kathryn Bright9Cattram Duong Nguyen10Casey L Pell11Maeve Hume-Nixon12Tupou Ratu13James Fong14Kelera Sakumeni15Ilisapeci Tuibeqa16Asia-Pacific Health, Murdoch Children`s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaMinistry of Health and Medical Services, Suva, FijiNew Vaccines, Murdoch Children`s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaENT, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UKDepartment of Paediatrics, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, FijiDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAsia-Pacific Health, Murdoch Children`s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaTranslational Microbiology, Murdoch Children`s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaAsia-Pacific Health, Murdoch Children`s Research Institute, Suva, FijiRepublic of Fiji Ministry of Health, Suva, Rewa, FijiMinistry of Health and Medical Services, Suva, FijiDepartment of Paediatrics, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, FijiIntroduction Infections are a leading cause of neonatal mortality globally and can be transmitted from mother-to-child vertically or horizontally. Fiji has higher rates of serious neonatal infections and infant skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) than high-income countries. Research from the Gambia found that a single dose of oral azithromycin in labour decreased bacterial carriage and infections in mothers and infants, particularly infant skin infections. The Bulabula MaPei clinical trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of a single dose of azithromycin in labour in reducing the incidence of maternal and infant SSTIs and other infections and the impact on bacterial carriage. It will also describe the effect of azithromycin on antimicrobial (AMR) resistance, the maternal and infant microbiome, and infant dysbiosis.Methods and analysis We are conducting a blinded, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial administering 2 g of oral azithromycin, or placebo, given to healthy, pregnant women (≥18 years) in labour in Suva, Fiji. The primary outcome is the cumulative incidence of SSTIs in infants by 3 months of age. Secondary outcomes include the incidence of other infant and maternal infections, and safety and tolerability of azithromycin in mother and infant. Following informed consent, 2110 pregnant women will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio, with all study staff and participants masked to group allocation. Mother/infant pairs will be followed up for 12 months over six visits collecting clinical data on infections, antimicrobial use, safety and anthropometrics, in addition to nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, rectovaginal and vaginal swabs, maternal breastmilk and infant stool samples, in order to compare bacterial carriage, AMR rates and microbiome. Recruitment for Bulabula MaPei started in June 2019.Ethics and dissemination This trial was approved and is being conducted according to the protocol approved by The Royal Children’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee, Australia, and the Fiji National Health Research and Ethics Review Committee. The findings of this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration number NCT03925480.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e061157.full
spellingShingle John Hart
Eric Rafai
Kim Mulholland
Andrew Steer
Emma Watts
Stephanie Clark
Catherine Satzke
Fiona M Russell
Eleanor F G Neal
Kathryn Bright
Cattram Duong Nguyen
Casey L Pell
Maeve Hume-Nixon
Tupou Ratu
James Fong
Kelera Sakumeni
Ilisapeci Tuibeqa
Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial
BMJ Open
title Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial
title_full Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial
title_fullStr Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial
title_full_unstemmed Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial
title_short Prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in Fiji (Bulabula MaPei): study protocol of a randomised control trial
title_sort prevention of young infant infections using oral azithromycin in labour in fiji bulabula mapei study protocol of a randomised control trial
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e061157.full
work_keys_str_mv AT johnhart preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT ericrafai preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT kimmulholland preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT andrewsteer preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT emmawatts preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT stephanieclark preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT catherinesatzke preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT fionamrussell preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT eleanorfgneal preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT kathrynbright preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT cattramduongnguyen preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT caseylpell preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT maevehumenixon preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT tupouratu preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT jamesfong preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT kelerasakumeni preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial
AT ilisapecituibeqa preventionofyounginfantinfectionsusingoralazithromycininlabourinfijibulabulamapeistudyprotocolofarandomisedcontroltrial