Staying ahead of resistance: from bacteria to better care

A study by researchers in Belgium explored why some migrants face difficulties accessing PrEP, a medicine that helps prevent HIV. Interviews and group discussions showed that concerns about immigration, health insurance, as well as stigma and discrimination coexist and reinforce each other. For people worried about the basics, taking steps to prevent HIV becomes more difficult. The findings highlight the need to consider these broader challenges to support PrEP access and use.

Researchers studied children in four low- and middle-income countries and found that mothers’ nutritional status before pregnancy was linked to how their children grew during early childhood. Children of mothers who were shorter, particularly when combined with other forms of malnutrition, were more likely to experience severe growth faltering. The findings highlight the importance of supporting women’s nutrition and health before pregnancy, not only during it.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the time that women spent in health facilities after giving birth was reduced, accelerating an existing trend toward shorter postpartum stays. These changes helped reduce infection risks and ease pressure on healthcare systems. In few countries, community-based postpartum care was strengthened to support women. The findings underscore the importance of ensuring that healthcare adaptations during emergencies are evidence-based and responsive to women’s needs and experiences. 

Whole-genome sequencing can detect genetic changes linked to resistance to newer tuberculosis (TB) medicines, but many of these changes are difficult to interpret. Researchers analysed TB samples from seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa and found that most of the genetic variants studied were not linked to actual drug resistance. The findings help improve the interpretation of genetic test results and support more accurate monitoring of resistance to important TB treatments. 

A study at a tertiary hospital in Kigali, Rwanda, found inappropriate prescription of antibiotics given to prevent infections after surgery. The main problems included inadequate antibiotic choice, dose or duration, linked to the absence of local guidelines, limited access to recommended drugs and entrenched routines, a.o.. Researchers suggest locally adapted guidelines, regular education and training, better communication and monitoring of prescription practices to improve antibiotic use and help limiting antimicrobial resistance.

Researchers found that Neisseria bacilliformis, a bacterium that commonly lives in the throat, carries a gene similar to one involved in ceftriaxone resistance in the bacteria that cause gonorrhoea. Some N. bacilliformis samples also had genetic changes linked to reduced antibiotic sensitivity. However, the study could not show that these changes cause resistance. The findings highlight the need to monitor diverse Neisseria species.