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. 2017 Apr 13;12(4):e0175456.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175456. eCollection 2017.

Antimicrobial-resistant infections among postpartum women at a Ugandan referral hospital

Lisa M Bebell  1   2 , Joseph Ngonzi  3   4 , Joel Bazira  3 , Yarine Fajardo  3 , Adeline A Boatin  2   5 , Mark J Siedner  1   2   3 , Ingrid V Bassett  1 , Dan Nyehangane  6 , Deborah Nanjebe  6 , Yves Jacquemyn  4 , Jean-Pierre van Geertruyden  4 , Juliet Mwanga-Amumpaire  3   6 , David R Bangsberg  1   2 , Laura E Riley  5 , Yap Boum 2nd  3   6
Affiliations

Antimicrobial-resistant infections among postpartum women at a Ugandan referral hospital

Lisa M Bebell et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Introduction: Puerperal sepsis causes 10% of maternal deaths in Africa, but prospective studies on incidence, microbiology and antimicrobial resistance are lacking.

Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of 4,231 Ugandan women presenting to a regional referral hospital for delivery or postpartum care, measured vital signs after delivery, performed structured physical exam, symptom questionnaire, and microbiologic evaluation of febrile and hypothermic women. Malaria rapid diagnostic testing, blood and urine cultures were performed aseptically and processed at Epicentre Mbarara Research Centre. Antimicrobial susceptibility and breakpoints were determined using disk diffusion per EUCAST standards. Hospital diagnoses, treatments and outcomes were abstracted from patient charts.

Results: Mean age was 25 years, 12% were HIV-infected, and 50% had cesarean deliveries. Approximately 5% (205/4176) with ≥1 temperature measurement recorded developed postpartum fever or hypothermia; blood and urine samples were collected from 174 (85%), and 17 others were evaluated clinically. Eighty-four (48%) had at least one confirmed source of infection: 39% (76/193) clinical postpartum endometritis, 14% (25/174) urinary tract infection (UTI), 3% (5/174) bloodstream infection. Another 3% (5/174) had malaria. Overall, 30/174 (17%) had positive blood or urine cultures, and Acinetobacter species were the most common bacteria isolated. Of 25 Gram-negatives isolated, 20 (80%) were multidrug-resistant and cefepime non-susceptible.

Conclusions: For women in rural Uganda with postpartum fever, we found a high rate of antibiotic resistance among cultured urinary and bloodstream infections, including cephalosporin-resistant Acinetobacter species. Increasing availability of microbiology testing to inform appropriate antibiotic use, development of antimicrobial stewardship programs, and strengthening infection control practices should be high priorities.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Enrollment flowchart demonstrating participants enrolled, retained and evaluated at each stage as well as confirmed infectious diagnoses.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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