Publications (127) View all
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Article: Viral outbreaks in neonatal intensive care units: What we do not know.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Nosocomial infection is among the most important causes of morbidity, prolonged hospital stay, increased hospital costs, and mortality in neonates, particularly those born preterm. The vast majority of scientific articles dealing with nosocomial infections address bacterial or fungal infections, and viral agents are often disregarded. This analysis reviews the medical literature in an effort to establish the incidence, types of pathogens, and clinical features of noncongenital neonatal viral infections. METHODS: This analysis was performed using the worldwide database of health care-associated outbreaks (http://www.outbreak-database.com). Items analyzed included causative pathogens, types of infection, source of outbreaks, and measures taken to stop outbreaks. RESULTS: The outbreak database contained a total of 590 neonatal outbreaks, of which 64 were originated by viruses, 44 of which (68.75%) were reported from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The 5 most frequent viral agents were rotavirus (23.44%), respiratory syncytial virus (17.19%), enterovirus (15.63%), hepatitis A virus (10.94%), and adenovirus (9.38%). CONCLUSION: Our analysis of the viral origins of nosocomial infections in NICUs can be a valuable tool in the investigation of neonatal infections. The mortality rates reported in this analysis demonstrate the significance of noncongenital viral infections in NICUs and the need for more effective outbreak prevention strategies.American journal of infection control 04/2013; · 3.01 Impact Factor -
Article: Diagnostic Performance of Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 and CD64 Index as Markers of Sepsis in Preterm Newborns.
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:: CD64 index and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 are biomarkers on neutrophil polymorphonuclear cells with crucial role in sepsis. The study aim is to assess diagnostic performance, individually and combined, of CD64 index and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (surface marker/soluble form), in late-onset sepsis of preterm infants. DESIGN:: Observational study. SETTING:: Neonatal ICU. PATIENTS:: Sixteen septic and 16 control preterm infants, gestational age younger than 32 weeks and/or birth weigh less than 1500 g. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS:: Seventy preterm infants, free of sepsis were enrolled into the study. CD64 index and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 were measured once between day 5 and 15 of life (T0) and once between day 16 and 25 (T1). At T1, 16 infants were assigned to septic group because of reported signs of sepsis and positive blood culture. From the remaining 54 infants, 16 of them who always remained free of sepsis had a blood sample at T1 and constituted the control group (n = 16). Comparing T1 vs T0, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 polymorphonuclear cells percentage was significantly lower (p = 0.002) in septic group but not in control group; soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 concentration did not show significant differences in both groups; CD64 index significantly increased (p = 0.0004) in septic group, while no difference was found in control group. Comparing septic with control group at T0, no differences were found in any markers. At T1, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 polymorphonuclear cells percentage was significantly lower (p = 0.003) and CD64 index was higher (p = 0.00019) in septic infants. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 polymorphonuclear cells receiver operating characteristic curve indicated cutoff 62.12%, sensitivity 56.2%, specificity 93.5%, and area under the curve 0.8. CD64 index receiver operating characteristic curve indicated cutoff 2.85, sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 100%, and area under the curve 0.95. Combination of the two indexes was not useful in increasing individual diagnostic power. CONCLUSIONS:: Despite limited sample size, CD64 index demonstrated to be a promising biomarker, with high specificity, to diagnose late-onset sepsis. Further investigations are needed to substantiate these findings. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 showed less valuable diagnostic role.Pediatric Critical Care Medicine 01/2013; · 3.13 Impact Factor -
Article: Prevention of Nosocomial Infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
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ABSTRACT: Neonatal sepsis causes a huge burden of morbidity and mortality and includes bloodstream, urine, cerebrospinal, peritoneal, and lung infections as well as infections starting from burns and wounds, or from any other usually sterile sites. It is associated with cytokine - and biomediator-induced disorders of respiratory, hemodynamic, and metabolic processes. Neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit feature many specific risk factors for bacterial and fungal sepsis. Loss of gut commensals such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli spp., as occurs with prolonged antibiotic treatments, delayed enteral feeding, or nursing in incubators, translates into proliferation of pathogenic microflora and abnormal gut colonization. Prompt diagnosis and effective treatment do not protect septic neonates form the risk of late neurodevelopmental impairment in the survivors. Thus prevention of bacterial and fungal infection is crucial in these settings of unique patients. In this view, improving neonatal management is a key step, and this includes promotion of breast-feeding and hygiene measures, adoption of a cautious central venous catheter policy, enhancement of the enteric microbiota composition with the supplementation of probiotics, and medical stewardship concerning H2 blockers with restriction of their use. Additional measures may include the use of lactoferrin, fluconazole, and nystatin and specific measures to prevent ventilator associated pneumonia.American Journal of Perinatology 01/2013; · 1.32 Impact Factor -
Dataset: congenital syphilis multicentrica 2011
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Article: Breast milk-acquired cytomegalovirus infection in very low birth weight infants.
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ABSTRACT: Perinatal transmission of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in very low birth weight (VLBW) premature infants can lead to serious clinical symptoms and it has ben increasingly recognized that breast milk is the most frequent route of transmission. Breast milk is considered ideal food for newborns because of its nutritional value and anti-infectious components, but it can also be vehicle for viral and bacterial infection. The majority of HCMV seropositive mothers shed the virus into their breast milk and can transmit infection to their offspring. Perinatally acquired infections in full-term neonates are usually asymptomatic without sequelae due to protective maternal HCMV-specific antibodies received during pregnancy. In contrast, VLBW preterm infants are at risk of symptomatic infection with neutropaenia, thrombocytopaenia, sepsis-like syndrome and, less frequently, pneumonia and enteric infection. Postnatally acquired infection seems to spontaneously resolve without altering the clinical outcome. Ganciclovir treatment is restricted to severe symptomatic infections. Preterm infants with a gestational age <30 weeks, or with a birth weight <1000 g, are at greater risk of severe postnatal symptomatic HCMV infection, transmitted via maternal milk. The pasteurization of breast milk entirely eliminates infectivity and prevents virus transmission but alters nutritional and immunological milk properties, and freezing reduces, but does not eradicate, infectivity. Most authors encourage fresh maternal breastfeeding because its beneficial effects outweigh the risk of a transient infection, sequelae-free. Nevertheless, an individual decision based on the condition of health of the infant is important.The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine: the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians 10/2012; 25 Suppl 3:57-62. · 1.36 Impact Factor
