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Congenital and perinatally-acquired infections in resource-constrained settings
Lola Madrid1,2, Rosauro Varo1,2, Antonio Sitoe1
1a Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM) , Maputo , Mozambique.
Insights
Congenital and perinatal infections cause significant infant mortality, especially in low-income regions. Implementing available prevention strategies is crucial to reduce this global health burden.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Maternal and Child Health
Background:
- Congenital and perinatal infections are a major cause of neonatal and infant mortality worldwide.
- Effective prevention strategies like maternal screening, vaccination, and treatment exist.
- Data on the burden of these infections are scarce in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the burden of congenital and perinatal infections in resource-limited settings.
- To identify key challenges in controlling these infections in LMICs.
- To inform international and national efforts for disease control.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of articles published between 1971 and 2016.
- Searches conducted across major electronic databases.
- Focus on studies pertaining to congenital and perinatal infections.
Main Results:
- Estimates suggest a higher burden of congenital infections in LMICs compared to industrialized nations.
- Preventive and curative interventions are available for several of these infections.
- Significant gaps in data exist for LMICs.
Conclusions:
- Urgent international and national efforts are needed to implement existing preventive and curative strategies.
- Reducing the burden of congenital and perinatal infections in LMICs requires targeted interventions.
- Addressing data limitations is essential for effective control programs.
Introduction:
Congenital and perinatal infections are a leading cause of neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality. Maternal screening, vaccines or treatment where available, constitute effective prevention strategies to reduce the burden of these diseases. Data on the burden of congenital and perinatal infections are very limited for low and middle-income regions.
Areas Covered:
This review aims to summarize the burden of congenital and perinatal infections and the main challenges for their control in resource-limited settings. Articles were identified through the main electronic databases and cover the period 1971-2016. Expert commentary: Estimates from low and middle-income countries indicate that the burden of congenital infections may be higher in these regions than in industrialized countries. As preventive and curative strategies are available to tackle some of these infections, efforts at the international and national levels must be made to implement those and thus reduce their burden in resource-limited countries.
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