Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2025

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
08:46

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis

Published on: August 12, 2020

6.4K

Assessment of three antibiotic combination regimens against Gram-negative bacteria causing neonatal sepsis in low-

Biljana Kakaraskoska Boceska1, Tuba Vilken2, Basil Britto Xavier2,3

  • 1Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. Biljana.KakaraskoskaBoceska@uantwerpen.be.

Nature Communications
|May 10, 2024
PubMed

Insights

New antibiotic combinations show promise for treating neonatal sepsis caused by drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in low-resource settings. These findings could guide improved treatment strategies for this life-threatening condition.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Neonatal sepsis is a significant cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
  • Increasing antimicrobial resistance to WHO-recommended treatments compromises effective neonatal sepsis management.
  • Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are primary pathogens, exhibiting high resistance rates to current empiric therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro efficacy of novel antibiotic combinations against common GNB causing neonatal sepsis in LMICs.
  • To investigate the drug resistance and genetic profiles of prevalent GNB isolates.
  • To identify potential alternative treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant (MDR) GNB neonatal sepsis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of bacterial isolates from the NeoOBS study (NCT03721302), focusing on the five most prevalent GNB species.
  • Assessment of antimicrobial resistance patterns, including the prevalence of ESBL and carbapenemase encoding genes.
  • In vitro testing of fosfomycin, flomoxef, and amikacin in combination against selected GNB isolates.

Main Results:

  • High resistance rates to WHO-recommended antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamicin, cefotaxime) were observed among GNB isolates.
  • Prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase genes was significant.
  • The tested combinations of fosfomycin, flomoxef, and amikacin demonstrated excellent in vitro activity against ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and E. coli.

Conclusions:

  • Current empiric antibiotic regimens for neonatal sepsis are challenged by widespread GNB drug resistance.
  • Novel antibiotic combinations, specifically fosfomycin, flomoxef, and amikacin, show significant in vitro potential.
  • Further clinical evaluation of these combinations is warranted for treating neonatal sepsis in high-MDR GNB prevalence areas.

More Related Videos

Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations11:15

Quadruple-Checkerboard: A Modification of the Three-Dimensional Checkerboard for Studying Drug Combinations

Published on: July 24, 2021

4.6K
Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method12:03

Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method

Published on: April 18, 2019

26.2K

Related Concept Videos

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism01:27

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
3.9K
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
2.6K
Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment01:30

Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia poses the potential for numerous complications that warrant consideration. These complications include the following:
203