Geographic spillover of antimicrobial resistance from mass distribution of azithromycin.

ABSTRACT: Large-scale, placebo-controlled, cluster-randomized trials in high-mortality settings in several African countries demonstrated a 14-18% reduction in childhood mortality following twice-annual mass drug administration (MDA) of azithromycin among children aged 1-59 months [1-3]. Azithromycin MDA also selects for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly macrolide resistance in treated populations [4-6]. It is unknown whether the genetic selection of AMR from azithromycin MDA could spill over to neighboring untreated populations. If present, such geographic spillover effects could lead the trials to underestimate the risks of AMR selection from azithromycin MDA. Here, we assessed between-village geographic spillover effects of genotypic resistance to macrolides and other antibiotic classe

SUBMITTER: Srivathsan A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12330416 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature