A study by Mrs. Fathima Siromiya Shamil Mafras and colleagues, published in BMC Microbiology, reports important findings on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among pregnant women in Sri Lanka.
Conducted at Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, the study investigated antibiotic-resistant bacterial colonization in 235 mothers admitted for delivery between May and August 2023. The researchers focused on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing organisms, including Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species.
The study found that 14% of participants were colonized with MRSA, while 4.3% carried ESBL-producing bacteria. Although all MRSA isolates remained sensitive to vancomycin, a high level of resistance to erythromycin was observed. Molecular testing identified the mecA gene as the main determinant of MRSA resistance and blaCTX-M as the most common ESBL resistance gene.
Maternal anemia was significantly associated with MRSA colonization, while no strong link was observed between maternal colonization and neonatal outcomes. These findings underscore the need for strengthened antimicrobial resistance surveillance and targeted infection prevention strategies in maternal healthcare settings in Sri Lanka.