High rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria found in West Bank hospitals

News brief

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter — Dan Higgins, James Archer / CDC

A study of bacterial isolates from hospitals in the West Bank revealed high levels of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens, researchers reported yesterday in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control.

For the cross-sectional study, a team of researchers from Al-Quds University examined 10,007 unique bacterial isolates collected from 13 government hospitals in the West Bank in 2023. While several countries in the Middle East and North Africa have reported rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in recent years, previous studies of AMR in the Palestinian territories have been limited to single-center analyses or specific patient groups.

"In Palestine, antibiotic misuse, unregulated over-the-counter access, and inadequate infection control—compounded by a fragmented healthcare system—fuel the spread of AMR," the study authors wrote. "By analyzing AMR patterns, demographic factors, and hospital-specific variations, this study aims to inform national antimicrobial stewardship strategies and provide models for other resource-limited, conflict-affected settings worldwide."

More than a third of isolates classified as MDR

Of the 10,007 bacterial isolates analyzed, Escherichia coli was the most prevalent pathogen (43%), and 36.7% of all isolates were classified as MDR, with the highest rates observed in Acinetobacter baumannii (76.4%), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (69.2%), and ESBL-producing E coli (58.3%). Staphylococcus aureus isolates had a 29.5% MDR rate.

Further analysis revealed several significant associations between demographic and clinical variables and MDR isolates. Male patients had 14% higher odds of MDR infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.14) compared with females, and age was also a strong predictor, with children aged 2 to 9 years and 9 to 16 years having significantly lower odds of resistance (aORs of 0.69 and 0.66, respectively) compared with those under 2 years. In contrast, adults aged 44 years and older, particularly those aged 65 and above, showed progressively increasing odds of resistance, reaching an aOR of 1.85.

The study authors say the findings call for a dual focus on reducing community antibiotic misuse and strengthening hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship programs.

"These findings demand urgent, context-specific interventions in this resource-limited setting," they wrote.

Lassa fever’s death toll in Nigeria climbs in 2025

News brief

Stephanie Soucheray, MA

So far, 176 people from 21 states in Nigeria have died from Lassa fever in 2025, according to a recent report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

In total, Nigeria has recorded 955 confirmed cases from 8,367 suspected infections. While confirmed cases are fewer than those seen in 2024, fatalities have increased. This year’s case-fatality rate (CFR) is 18.4%, compared to 16.6% during the same period in 2024.

Fatalities linked to poor sanitation

NCDC said the deaths are likely due to poor health-seeking behavior among patients who seek medical intervention too late, as well as poor environmental sanitation in affected communities.

Eighty-eight percent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from four states (Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, and Taraba), while 12% were reported from 17 states. Adults ages 21 to 30 years report the most infections.

Lassa virus is endemic in West Africa and spreads via contact with the urine or droppings of infected rodents. Though not common, the virus can be transmitted person-to-person through direct contact with a sick person's blood or other body fluids, mucous membranes, or sexual contact.

WHO voices concerns about equitable access to novel TB vaccines

News brief

Chris Dall, MA

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for bold steps to ensure equitable access to future tuberculosis (TB) vaccines.

Although there is one currently licensed vaccine for TB, its age—it was first used more than 100 years ago—and limited effectiveness in adolescents and adults has prompted a renewed focus from the WHO on TB vaccine development. As of September 2025, there are 16 candidate vaccines in clinical development, with 6 in phase 3 trials, and high-burden countries are starting to prepare for the rollout of a TB vaccine in coming years.

But the report from the WHO's TB Vaccine Accelerator Council suggests that global demand could outstrip supply in the initial years after vaccine registration, because there is currently no earmarked funding for novel TB vaccines in low- and middle-income countries most affected by TB, and manufacturers face uncertainty on country demand and financing. The report estimates that global procurement of TB vaccines for all countries could cost US $5 billion to $8 billion from 2030 to 2040.

Solutions for ensuring equitable access

To address the anticipated bottlenecks and barriers to access, the report identifies six potential solutions:

Use global catalytic instruments to aggregate demand from high-burden countries and to incentivize manufacturers
Generate country-led evidence packages to accelerate national decision-making and budget planning
Clarify available domestic financing commitments and donor funding
Create a structured coordination platform that links supply and demand stakeholders
Establish minimum standards for market transparency
Promote technology transfer and licensing to at least one manufacturer in each high-burden region

The WHO estimates that a TB vaccine for adolescents and adults that is at least 50% effective could, over 25 years, avert up to 76 million TB cases, 8.5 million deaths, 42 million antibiotic courses, and $42 billion in healthcare costs for affected families.

"New TB vaccines have the potential to save millions of lives faster and change the course of the epidemic," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said in a WHO press release. "By harnessing the power of science, partnership and finance, we can realize our shared vision to end TB."