Prevalence and characterization of bacterial rectal colonization patterns in pediatric patients: A cross-sectional study

Rectal colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms was frequent, driven mainly by ESBL-producing, <i>bla</i>CTX-M-positive <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i>, while AmpC, CRE, and MRSA were less common but remained important resistance mechanisms. The association between resistance phenotypes and prior antacid use highlights the need for larger pediatric surveillance studies and careful evaluation of antacid and antibiotic use in this population.