A recent study conducted in southern India reveals concerning trends regarding sepsis, highlighting that it disproportionately affects younger populations, particularly those in rural areas. This new research, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, takes a closer look at the causative agents leading to community-acquired sepsis, which is responsible for 26% of global sepsis-related deaths.

The team of researchers, which included scientists from India, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, carried out a prospective observational study in a tertiary care hospital in South India over a span of four years, from December 2018 to September 2022. They enrolled 1,000 adult patients who met international sepsis criteria and collected comprehensive clinical, microbiologic, demographic, and outcome data.

Of the 4,000 patients screened upon ICU admission, the median age was 55 years, and 66% were male. Notably, a significant number of these patients were from rural backgrounds—about 46.5% lived in villages, and more than one-third had no formal education. The median length of stay in the ICU was four days, with a staggering in-hospital mortality rate of 24.1%.

The results indicate that a causative agent could be identified in over half of the patients studied. The breakdown of agents revealed that bacteria were responsible for 38% of cases, while viruses accounted for 18%. Other contributors included leptospirosis (10.6%), scrub typhus (4.1%), and dengue (3.7%). Notably, cases caused by leptospirosis and other tropical diseases showed seasonal peaks correlating with the monsoon season.

Among those with bacterial sepsis, the majority of isolates (43.9%) were gram-negative, with Escherichia coli being the most prevalent (52.3%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.3%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.3%). Alarmingly, the study found high levels of antibiotic resistance, particularly with E. coli (75.8% resistant to third-generation cephalosporins).

The authors emphasized that this research fills critical knowledge gaps regarding sepsis in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). They asserted that understanding the regional epidemiology of sepsis is essential for enhancing healthcare capacity and developing tailored treatment guidelines for South Asia.

Shifting gears to another pressing health issue: a new report reveals that UK supermarkets are falling short in ensuring compliance with strict national legislation banning routine antibiotic use in farming. This legislation, enacted in May 2023, aims to address the misuse of antibiotics in agriculture but shows significant gaps in enforcement by leading supermarket chains.

The report by the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics highlights that most supermarket antibiotic policies only extend to store-brand products, leaving branded imports unregulated and putting consumer health at risk. Only a handful of chains have adequate transparency regarding antibiotic use in their supply chains and most continue practices that could contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Industry experts stress that supermarkets must take immediate and robust action to safeguard animal welfare and enhance farming practices to avoid the overuse of antibiotics that can lead to serious health risks for both animals and consumers alike.