Superbugs kill Babies, Antibiotic Resistance Rises

Infected with ‘superbugs’ in birth facilities within 72 hours of being born, thousands of Indian babies are dying due to an ‘alarming degree’ of drug resistance, a major study has found. 
•    The researchers found that nearly 26 per cent of babies with sepsis died, as multi drug resistance made the ailment untreatable.
•    The lead author of the study, Dr. Vinod Paul, chief of pediatrics at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said this was a manifestation of drug resistant bacteria in the Indian population.
•    Dr. Paul’s team is working on models to prevent hospital-acquired infections soon after birth, and rapid diagnostics.
•    Out of over 88,000 children, 13,530 were ‘enrolled’ in the study – that is, admitted to the ICU.
•    Multi drug resistance was the highest with Acinetobacter in 181 cases, a staggering 82 per cent. 
•    Resistance to Klebsiella was found in 54 per cent and E. coli in 38 per cent.