Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026
08:46
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
7.0K
Bacterial Infections in Neonates, Madagascar, 2012-2014
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|March 20, 2018
Summary
Severe bacterial infections in newborns are a major cause of death in low-income nations. This study in Madagascar found a high incidence of multidrug-resistant infections, highlighting the urgent need for better prevention and treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Severe bacterial infections pose a significant threat to neonates in low-income countries, exacerbated by the rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
- Limited community-based data exists on the incidence, causes, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of neonatal infections in these regions.
- Madagascar, a low-income country, faces challenges in combating neonatal infections due to various contributing factors.
Observation:
- A prospective community-based study in Madagascar investigated 981 newborns between 2012 and 2014.
- The study assessed the incidence, etiologies, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of severe neonatal infections in both rural and urban settings.
- Data collection focused on culture-confirmed infections to accurately determine bacterial causes and resistance.
Findings:
- The incidence of culture-confirmed severe neonatal infections was high at 17.7 cases per 1,000 live births.
- A significant majority (75%) of these infections occurred within the first week of a neonate's life.
- Gram-negative bacteria were the predominant pathogens (81%), and the incidence of multidrug-resistant neonatal infections was notably high at 7.7 cases per 1,000 live births.
Implications:
- Findings underscore the critical need for prioritized interventions in Madagascar to reduce neonatal infections.
- Enhanced strategies for prevention, early diagnosis, and effective management of bacterial infections in newborns are essential.
- The high rate of multidrug-resistant infections necessitates a focus on antimicrobial stewardship and the development of new treatment options.
Related Concept Videos
01:33Bacterial Transformation
60.2K
In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
60.2K
01:30Bacterial Signaling
41.3K
Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
41.3K
00:43Bacterial RNA Polymerase
32.9K
Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
32.9K
01:20Infection
12.8K
When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
12.8K
01:26Stages of Infection
65.5K
Stages of infection describe what happens to a susceptible host once a pathogen invades the human body. The stages of infection are incubation, prodromal, illness, stage of decline, and convalescence. The incubation stage is the period from exposure to a pathogen until symptoms start. The infected person is unaware of impending illness as the pathogens grow and multiply within the body. The duration may vary depending on the type of infection. The incubation period of measles averages ten to...
65.5K
01:53Bacterial Transcription
36.6K
RNA polymerase (RNAP) carries out DNA-dependent RNA synthesis in both bacteria and eukaryotes. Bacteria do not have a membrane-bound nucleus. So, transcription and translation occur simultaneously, on the same DNA template.
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
36.6K