Neonatal pneumonia

Article Abstract:

The cause of pneumonia in newborns is difficult to ascertain. Infants with an early onset of pneumonia usually acquire the infection from their mother. Late onset infections are generally hospital-acquired (nosocomial infections) infections. Many infants have bacteria in their lungs at the autopsy, even in the absence of pneumonia. In neonatal units, samples of fluid obtained from tubes of artificial ventilation devices (endotracheal tubes) are routinely cultured for bacteria. Since bacteria residing on the skin can also gain entry to the body, skin samples are also cultured for bacteria. The value of endotracheal fluid surveillance in the monitoring of late onset pneumonia is unproven. The incidence, causes, and outcome of newborns with pneumonia are reported for all babies admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit during a 41-month period. Early onset pneumonia was diagnosed within 48 hours of birth in 35 infants. In 20 infants, the infecting organism was group B streptococci. Blood cultures were positive in 16 out of the 35 infants (46 percent) with early onset pneumonia. There were 41 episodes of late onset pneumonia diagnosed in 39 newborns; 36 were born prematurely, and 34 required artificial ventilation to help them breathe. Staphylococcus epidermis, a bacteria commonly cultured from the skin, was isolated from endotracheal tubes in 97 percent of the newborns with late onset disease. There was no difference between the timing of endotracheal tube bacterial growth among the newborns who developed late onset pneumonia and those who did not. Ten infants died from early onset disease (29 percent), and one infant died from late onset disease (2 percent). Since bacteria can be isolated from endotracheal tubes, regardless of whether they have late onset disease or not, it is unlikely that it is the same organism infecting the lungs. On the basis of these results it is concluded that routine surveillance is not useful in predicting late onset pneumonia and the results may actually be misleading. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Prevention, Causes of, Pneumonia in children, Childhood pneumonia, Diagnostic bacteriology

---

Olivopontocerebellar atrophy of neonatal onset and disialotransferrin developmental deficiency syndrome

Article Abstract:

Olivopontocerebellar atrophy of neonatal onset is a wasting away of certain portions of the brain, specifically the olivary nucleus, the pons, and cerebellum, that occurs among newborns. This disorder is part of a group of birth defects affecting the brain, liver, kidney, eye and joints. The diagnosis of this brain atrophy is based on detection of structural abnormalities, and is usually only made at autopsy. There are five types of olivopontocerebellar atrophy, which can be grouped according to differences in mode of inheritance. Studies suggest that this disorder may be associated with an abnormality of glycoproteins, which are biochemical complexes of sugar and proteins. A less severe disease with features similar to those of olivopontocerebellar atrophy of neonatal onset is the disialotransferrin developmental deficiency (DDD) syndrome. This is characterized by failure to thrive, delayed development, diminished muscle tone, abnormalities of the eye, liver disease, joint disorders, fluid accumulation within the membrane surrounding the heart, and abnormalities of cerebellar development. The most common glycoprotein abnormality associated with the DDD syndrome is a change in the glycosylation, or attachment of glucose to transferrin, a blood glycoprotein that carries iron. Cases are described of two brothers with symptoms and tissue structural abnormalities of olivopontocerebellar atrophy of neonatal onset. In addition to similar clinical features, these two cases of olivopontocerebellar atrophy shared in common with the DDD syndrome the abnormality of serum transferrin. The findings suggest that the olivopontocerebellar atrophy of neonatal onset and DDD syndrome are caused by similar or related defects in the metabolism of glycoproteins. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Case studies, Abnormalities, Physiological aspects, Pediatric diseases, Infants (Newborn), Newborn infants, Transferrin, Syndromes in children, Syndromes

---

Respiratory rate and pneumonia in infancy

Article Abstract:

The program of the World Health Organization (WHO) to control acute respiratory infection has identified pneumonia in infants under two months of age as its most important priority, due to the high mortality of affected infants. Up to 30 percent of all respiratory infection-related deaths in childhood occur in this age group. Part of the program to reduce the incidence and mortality of infantile pneumonia is to provide simple medical signs, usable in developing countries, by which pneumonia may be diagnosed. The signs include cyanosis (blue skin tone), inability to feed, retraction of muscles under the ribs, wheezing, and a respiratory rate greater than 60 breaths per minute for infants under two months. These signs should help to discriminate upper respiratory infections (colds) from lower respiratory infections or pneumonia. Measurements of respiratory rate can vary according to the method used, and this aspect of respiratory assessment is discussed with reference to a paper by Morley and colleagues on respiratory rates in normal and ill infants. Respiratory rate measurements are most reliable in judging severity of illness when repeated measurements are taken, particularly if other signs of pneumonia are not present. Further study of how pneumonia develops in infants and of the clinical signs in affected infants is needed. Improved treatment of pneumonia, along with vaccination for measles and whooping cough, are the major tactics available to decrease excessive mortality linked to respiratory infections throughout the world. The studies reviewed in this paper support the validity of respiratory rate, as well as other signs, as indicators of pneumonia in infants. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Diagnosis, Diseases, Infants, Pediatric respiratory diseases

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Perinatal factors associated with respiratory distress syndrome. Gestational diabetes: a triage model of care for rural perinatal providers/(Transactions of the Sixty-Second Annual Meeting of the Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society)
• Abstracts: Dietary carbohydrate and intensity of interval swim training. Physical activity: counseling adults and older adults
• Abstracts: New viral diseases: a real and potential problem without boundaries. part 2 Immunodeficiency diseases
• Abstracts: The nonpuerperal breast infection: aerobic and anaerobic microbial recovery from acute and chronic disease
• Abstracts: Screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia by measurement of apolipoproteins in capillary blood. Preschool vision screening

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.