Mother-to-Neonate Transmission of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

We evaluated carriage rates of extended spectrum β-lactam-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), Carbapeneme-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among pregnant women and determined the maternal-to-neonate transmission rates of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Pregnant women provided rectal and vaginal samples, proximal to delivery. Stool samples were collected from newborns within 48 h of birth. All samples were cultured on selective media for ARB identification. Clinical and demographic data were collected from the participants’ medical files. We performed molecular and phenotypic characterization of the different resistance mechanisms, and determined the isolates’ antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm-forming ability. The prevalence of ESBL-E, MRSA and VRE among pregnant women were 16%, 6% and 1%, respectively. The prevalence of ESBL-E and MRSA among neonates were 7.6% and 1.6%, respectively. Maternal-to-neonate transmission rates of ESBL-E and MRSA were 48% and 27.8%, respectively. Maternal and neonatal isolates shared similar characteristics. Maternal-to-neonate transmission of ARB plays an important role in bacterial colonization in newborns. Future studies should investigate the outcomes of the high ESBL-E transmission rate. The biofilm-forming ability of ARB was found to affect transmission. Additional factors should be investigated in order to understand the differences between transmitted and non-transmitted bacteria.

High Rates of ESBL-producing and Gentamycin-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria During the First Week of Life: A Multicenter Cross-sectional Study Among Infants Younger Than 2 Months With Urinary Tract Infection

“…14 Maternal-to-neonatal transmission rates of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales were described as high as 48% and suggested to play an important role in bacterial colonization in newborns. 15 These studies could explain our findings of higher resistance rates during the first week of neonatal life.…”

The Relationship of Breastfeeding Mothers‘ Hygiene Behavior With the Incidence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa)

“…From the study's results involving 47 respondents, 4 (8.5%) respondents were positive for MRSA. Another study found 6% and 1.6% MRSA in mothers and infants in pairs (Matok et al, 2021). S. aureus transmission in infancy mainly occurs from parents to children.…”