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Bloodstream Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance in The Gambia : Continuous Surveillance from a Tertiary Care Center

Nygren, David LU orcid ; Andersson, Felix ; Barrow, Ebrima ; Bittaye, Sheikh Omar ; Bah, Haddy ; Banja, Fatou ; Mboob, Kumba Suun ; Fatajo, Lamin ; Blanco, Marisel Gomez and Olabode, Emmanuel , et al. (2025) In American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 113(6). p.1320-1323
Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major threat to global health, with limited surveillance data available from western sub-Saharan Africa. After reports of high rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in bloodstream infections at The Gambia’s sole tertiary hospital, we present follow-up data after enhancements in microbiology capacity. This study included 1,010 patients with blood cultures taken at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital between September 2023 and August 2024. The positivity rate remained high (31%), particularly among neonates and critically ill patients. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated pathogen (49%, n 5 155/314), with MRSA... (More)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major threat to global health, with limited surveillance data available from western sub-Saharan Africa. After reports of high rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in bloodstream infections at The Gambia’s sole tertiary hospital, we present follow-up data after enhancements in microbiology capacity. This study included 1,010 patients with blood cultures taken at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital between September 2023 and August 2024. The positivity rate remained high (31%), particularly among neonates and critically ill patients. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated pathogen (49%, n 5 155/314), with MRSA identified in 22% (n 5 34/152) of tested isolates. Among Enterobacterales, ESBL production remained high (87%, n 5 84/97), and carbapenem resistance was detected in 15% (n 5 6/39) of tested isolates. Our findings highlight the need for a robust and sustained AMR surveillance system to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens.

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publishing date
type
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publication status
published
subject
in
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
volume
113
issue
6
pages
4 pages
publisher
American Society of Tropcial Medicine & Hygiene
external identifiers
  • pmid:40987280
  • scopus:105025547602
ISSN
0002-9637
DOI
10.4269/ajtmh.25-0199
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
caf1885c-a6c8-4f55-979e-c2d476de688a
date added to LUP
2026-02-12 12:34:28
date last changed
2026-07-04 12:21:13
@article{caf1885c-a6c8-4f55-979e-c2d476de688a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major threat to global health, with limited surveillance data available from western sub-Saharan Africa. After reports of high rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in bloodstream infections at The Gambia’s sole tertiary hospital, we present follow-up data after enhancements in microbiology capacity. This study included 1,010 patients with blood cultures taken at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital between September 2023 and August 2024. The positivity rate remained high (31%), particularly among neonates and critically ill patients. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated pathogen (49%, n 5 155/314), with MRSA identified in 22% (n 5 34/152) of tested isolates. Among Enterobacterales, ESBL production remained high (87%, n 5 84/97), and carbapenem resistance was detected in 15% (n 5 6/39) of tested isolates. Our findings highlight the need for a robust and sustained AMR surveillance system to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nygren, David and Andersson, Felix and Barrow, Ebrima and Bittaye, Sheikh Omar and Bah, Haddy and Banja, Fatou and Mboob, Kumba Suun and Fatajo, Lamin and Blanco, Marisel Gomez and Olabode, Emmanuel and Jallow, Alieu and Badjan, Abdoulie and Rahden, Paul}},
  issn         = {{0002-9637}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1320--1323}},
  publisher    = {{American Society of Tropcial Medicine & Hygiene}},
  series       = {{American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene}},
  title        = {{Bloodstream Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance in The Gambia : Continuous Surveillance from a Tertiary Care Center}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.25-0199}},
  doi          = {{10.4269/ajtmh.25-0199}},
  volume       = {{113}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}