Prevalence and predictors of residual antibiotics in children's blood in community settings in Tanzania.
Theopista LottoSabine RenggliEliangiringa KaaleHonorati MasanjaBeatrice TernonLaurent Arthur DécosterdValérie D'AcremontBlaise GentonAlexandra V KulinkinaPublished in: Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (2024)
This study demonstrated a high prevalence of antibiotic exposure among children in Tanzanian communities, albeit likely underestimated, especially for compounds with short half-lives. A significant proportion of antibiotic exposure was unexplained and may have been due to unreported self-medication or environmental pathways. Incorporating biomonitoring into surveillance strategies can help better understand exposure patterns and design antibiotic stewardship interventions.