Risk Factors for Carriage of Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria in Healthy Children in the Community: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: In addition to health care settings, antibiotic resistance has also been increasing in the community. Healthy children represent an important potential reservoir of antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria. However, strategies to reduce the spread of AR bacteria often fail to specifically address the factors that promote the carriage of AR bacteria in this population. The objective of this review was to Identify risk factors for carriage of AR bacteria by healthy children. Methods: We did a systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase and PubMed for studies in developed (OECD) countries that assessed risk factors for carriage of AR bacteria in healthy children in the community. We excluded stu..