Two Superbugs Cause Majority of Newborn Deaths in Soweto
Over the past decade, researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand analyzed small tissue samples from 1,586 children under five who died in public health facilities in Soweto, southwest of Johannesburg. Their findings reveal that more than half of deaths among newborns and about one-third of deaths in infants are caused by just two types of bacteria.
Significance of Findings in Soweto and Beyond
The Soweto area includes people living in both informal settlements and formal housing, making it a representative case for other urban townships across South Africa. The study highlights that many infant deaths result from preventable infections.
Expert Insights
"This is not new knowledge, but it’s the detail in the study’s data that’s so valuable," says Ziyaad Dangor, head of the South African site for the nine-country Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (Champs) study.
Linda Pretorius explains in today's newsletter how these two superbugs are increasingly outsmarting treatments and causing half of the deaths among newborns.
About the Study
- Conducted by the vaccines and infectious diseases analytics unit at the University of the Witwatersrand
- Analyzed tissue samples from children under five over 10 years
- Focuses on mortality due to bacterial infections in Soweto public health facilities
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Summary: Two bacterial superbugs are responsible for over half of newborn deaths in Soweto, reflecting a critical and preventable public health issue in South Africa’s urban townships.