Epidemiology of Cefotaxime-Hydrolysing β-Lactamase-Producing in Children with Diarrhoea Reported Globally between 2012 and 2022.

The global spread of cefotaxime-hydrolysing β-lactamase (CTX-M)-producing () and its associated impact on paediatric diarrhoeal treatment and management has become a public health concern. This review assessed surveillance studies on CTX-M-producing associated with diarrhoea in children published between 2012 and 2022 globally. A total of thirty-eight studies were included for data analysis, categorised into continental regions, and tabulated. The majority (68%) of studies were conducted in Asian countries while few studies were conducted in Europe (11%) and Africa (18%), respectively. On the African continent, the majority (11%) of studies were conducted in Northern Africa while no studies were reported in East Africa. On the American continent, 3% of the studies were reported from South America. The studies included were classified into diarrheagenic (74%; 28/38) and faecal carriage (26%; 10/38). Of all the pathotypes associated with CTX-M production, EPEC was frequently reported. The prevalence of CTX-M-producing including the CTX-M-15-producing variants ranged between 1% and 94%. About 37% of the studies generalised the report as positive . The use of sequencing in characterising the CTX-M-producing was reported in only 32% of all the studies. This review provides information on the epidemiology of CTX-M-15-producing in paediatric diarrhoea and the extent to which surveillance is being performed. This is relevant in informing clinical practice for the management of diarrhoea as well as the design of future surveillance studies.