Campylobacter infections in Middle Eastern children: Review article

Abstract

() infections among children have become an alarming challenge for developed and developing countries. This narrative review highlights the concerning situation of and its antimicrobial resistance among Middle Eastern children. The review targeted studies on infections in the Middle East, focusing on those publications that were conducted within the past 14 years. The selected publications were sourced from the Google Scholar and PubMed databases. There was scanty published data addressing compylobacteriosis and its antimicrobial profile specifically among Middle Eastern children. Although there has been international concern about the role of and in causing childhood diarrhea, many regions in the Middle East do not appear to share the same level of concern. Furthermore, the complex interplay of socio-demographic and environmental elements that may influence infections, coupled with the globally rising concern over antibiotic resistance in spp (particularly multidrug-resistant strains), raises significant concerns in this region. Moreover, the presence of co-infections with , known to worsen disease severity, could exacerbate the issue and place a greater burden on healthcare systems. Additionally, the low awareness and insufficient prioritization of this public health issue, compounded by political conflicts in parts of the Middle East, present multiple challenges for children in several regions of the Middle East. These challenges, along with the consequences of late sequelae from infection, put many children in this region at significant risk. To effectively tackle these challenges, critical targeted interventions must be implemented. These interventions include conducting comprehensive epidemiological studies to understand the burden of in Middle Eastern children, characterizing the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of prevalent strains, updating healthcare practices to align with prevailing resistance profiles, adopting appropriate antibiotic prescription policies, and implementing robust infection control measures in this specific population.