Things to know about neonatal infections

In some t beam where, for some unaccountable reason the immune defenses of infants newborn harmed in the early stages when the new birth. Consequently, babies may  experience postpartum infections.

Newborn babies are extremely susceptible to certain diseases. Infants' immune systems are very weak compared to adults or adults, and are not enough to resist pathogens such as bacteria or viruses that can lead to neonatal infections.

Neonatal infection is the term used to refer to infections that occur from birth to 28 days of age. In which, there are cases of disease right from the time of fetus, during birth and after birth.

 

The article below, aFamilyToday Health helps you better understand the common types of neonatal infections, along with active prevention measures.

The most common types of neonatal infections

As mentioned above, a neonatal infection can occur during pregnancy or after birth. Below are the most common infections that aFamilyToday Health synthesizes, including causes, symptoms, and risk factors for each category.

1. Group B Streptococcal Disease (GBS)

Disease Streptococcus hemolytic group B is an infection that children suffered since he was in the womb.

What is GBS?

Type B hemolytic streptococcal bacteria are known to cause a wide range of neonatal infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis.

The bacteria are usually found in the mother's rectum or vagina. Accordingly, they will be passed to the baby during birth if the mother is not treated with antibiotics .

Symptom

Symptoms in babies are usually easy to see in the first week of life. Sometimes a few symptoms can develop over the next several weeks or months. Depending on the type of infection your child will often experience symptoms such as:

Stop breastfeeding

Shortness of breath

Show irritation

Children seem listless

High temperature

Risks encountered

Risks associated with infection with this bacterium include:

Pneumonia

Meningitis

Septicemia

Diagnosis and treatment

Your doctor may collect blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid samples for culture for bacteria. Treatment is carried out through the use of antibiotics under careful supervision and monitoring at the hospital.

2. Listeria (Listeriosis) infection

 

 

Listeria is considered to be one of the culprits that cause neonatal infections. This condition occurs when the mother becomes infected with listeria during pregnancy.

What is Listeriosis?

Listeriosis monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that can cause problems like pneumonia , sepsis and meningitis in a newborn. It is found mainly from contaminated food sources such as fruit, vegetables, animal meat or even unpasteurized milk. There is a very high risk of getting listeria if you consume foods that are either clean or undercooked.

Symptom

Babies infected with listeria have symptoms similar to those with group B hemolytic streptococcus. However, there are some other signs to look out for such as:

Fever

Muscle pain

Diarrhea

Risks encountered

In some cases, an infant infected with listeria can lead to:

Pneumonia

Sepsis

Meningitis

Diagnosis and treatment

The diagnosis will be based on the results of blood tests . Infected children are usually hospitalized and treated with antibiotics.

3. Meningitis (Meningitis)

Another newborn infection is meningitis. Babies can get this disease at birth which can be caused by bacterial infections (listeria, GBS, E.coli), viruses and some fungi, or when exposed to bacteria in the surrounding environment. around.

What is meningitis?

This is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. In particular, children with weakened immune systems are more contagious.

Symptom

Meningitis in a child can be identified through symptoms such as:

Persistent crying

Lethargy

Sleeping too much

Stop breastfeeding

Uneven body temperature (low or fluctuating)

Shortness of breath

Rash

Jaundice

Diarrhea

Risks encountered

The risk factors associated with meningitis are:

Dead

Kidney damage

Cognitive impairment

Memory problems

Hearing loss

Diagnosis and treatment

To detect meningitis, your doctor may perform a blood test, an MRI or CT scan. Treatment will depend on the severity of the condition the child is having. Most cases will be treated with a combination of antibiotics and antiviral drugs.

4. E. coli infection

 

 

E. coli is the abbreviation for the bacteria escherichia coli, a type of bacteria found in the human intestinal tract. Normally, they are known not to cause harm but a few strains today have been shown to be dangerous to infants and young children.

What is E. coli infection?

The bacteria are found in almost everyone in the body and babies can become infected during vaginal delivery or from coming into contact with the bacteria in the hospital or at home. E. coli is also responsible for several problems in children such as urinary tract infections, sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis.

Symptom

Similar to other types of infection, symptoms of an E. coli infection in a newborn include:

Fever

Skipping or poor feeding

Indifferent children reduce attention

Unusual crying

Risks encountered

Risks associated with this type of infection include:

Damage to the intestinal lining

Life- threatening kidney failure

Meningitis

Diagnosis and treatment

The doctor will test the child's stool to detect the presence of E. coli. Currently, there is no cure for this infection. Treatment mainly focuses on supportive care including rest and water retention.

5. Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is also known as " red eye pain " and is a disease that can spread into a fluid if not properly cared for, treated and prevented.

What is conjunctivitis?

This is a condition in which a child's eye or conjunctiva appears in a membrane that causes the baby's eyes to become red and swollen, so it is also called red eye pain. In some cases, a discharge of pus (pouring on the bed) is also present. The cause of the disease can be from a viral or bacterial infection.

Symptom

As mentioned above, conjunctivitis usually has the following typical signs:

Swollen eyes

Red eye conjunctiva

Weep

Pouring

Risks encountered

The only risk associated with conjunctivitis is impaired vision if not treated promptly.

Diagnosis and treatment

Usually, conjunctivitis will be diagnosed by observing the child's eye, examining fluid samples taken from the child's eye. The direction of treatment in most cases is to use antibiotics and eye drops . If the condition is more severe, the baby must be hospitalized for monitoring and treatment.

6. Candidiasis

 

 

Infants are susceptible to this neonatal infection through normal birth (caused by a yeast infection from the mother's vagina) or through breastfeeding. The cause of this condition is an overgrowth of a fungus called candida on the body.

What is a candida infection?

In children, it is also known as diaper rash, and sometimes it can also appear in the child's mouth and throat.

Symptom

When infected with candidiasis, children will have symptoms such as:

Cracks appear at the corners of the mouth

White spots appear on the tongue, palate, lips, and inside of the cheeks

Pain and rash in the vagina (girls)

Risks encountered

Weakened immune system

Rash

Diagnosis and treatment

The doctor will use a gauze pad and scan the baby's palate, then run tests to check for the presence of the fungus. In some cases, the diagnosis is based on oral lesions.

The primary treatment is antifungal drugs such as miconazole and nystatin .

7. Sepsis

Sepsis is a newborn infection that can be life-threatening if it spreads throughout the body. Children with weak immune systems are very susceptible to this condition.

What is sepsis?

When the substances released in the body that fight the infection are inactive, they trigger inflammatory responses inside the organs and cause sepsis. In severe cases, a child with sepsis can die.

Symptom

As with meningitis, symptoms of this disease are often nonspecific. Some conspicuous signs include:

Reduced urination

Unusual mood or sudden changes

Breathing problems (difficulty breathing)

Irregular heartbeat

Stomachache

Risks encountered

Formation of blood clots

Visceral failure

Shock of infection

Low blood pressure

Dead

Diagnosis and treatment

Your doctor may take a blood or urine sample to test and diagnose septicemia. In addition, an X-ray test may be performed to detect the presence of a blood clot or visceral failure.

Children need active treatment in the early stages of infection. The doctor will give the child antibiotics even before the diagnosis is made, then switch to blood pressure medications and infusion if the situation requires it.

8. Flu

 

 

Flu is a common illness that can be spread from person to person. Children can become sick if they come into contact with someone who has the flu or touch objects contaminated with the virus.

What is the flu?

The flu not only causes a mild fever or aches in an infant, but in more serious cases, the baby can experience serious complications, even death.

Symptom

Very common flu symptoms include:

Fever

Snivel

Muscle pain

Tired

Shivering and chills

Risks encountered

Dehydration

Anorexia

Listless

Shortness of breath

Fever with a rash

Diagnosis and treatment

Flu diagnosis is based on symptoms that show up, typically in a cold, the baby may have a fever for 2 weeks. A number of antiviral medications can be prescribed for your baby. Advice for mothers with children over 6 months of age is to have their children vaccinated against the flu every year so that their babies are protected from the disease.

9. Newborn herpes infection

This is a serious infection of a newborn that can be passed from the mother through the vaginal delivery. If the mother herself becomes infected with the virus when she is 6 weeks pregnant, there is a high risk that the baby will get herpes.

What is herpes infection?

Newborn herpes is an infection that occurs in babies with weakened immune systems. This form of infection mainly causes fatigue and loss of appetite in the baby.

Symptom

Typical symptoms are:

Refuse to breastfeed

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Blueish tongue and skin

Rash

Listless

Risks encountered

Convulsions

Dead

Muscle spasticity

Intellectual disability

Loss of vision or hearing

Diagnosis and treatment

To diagnose, the doctor will observe the lesions on the skin, and may also apply some additional tests such as blood, urine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the first part or test fluid and cells. skin cells from the sores.

For mild cases of herpes infections, early acyclovir is prescribed to prevent the spread of infection. For severe cases, the child needs to be hospitalized for treatment.

10. Rubella infection

 

 

Rubella is also known as German measles, caused by a virus called rubella. This is a newborn infection common in babies with weakened immune systems.

What is rubella infection?

Rubella is very easily spread through the respiratory tract, which can leave dangerous effects on children's health.

Symptom

Symptoms may vary depending on the stage of the disease. The most common symptoms include:

Pink or red rash

Muscle pain

Headache

Runny or stuffy nose

Low-grade fever

Red eyes

Swollen lymph nodes

Risks may be encountered

Rubella is especially dangerous for babies and can cause harm like:

Heart abnormalities

Growth defects

Intellectual decline

Reduced muscle function

Diagnosis and treatment

Your doctor can take blood samples and culture them to detect the virus that causes the disease. For pregnant women who are infected with rubella, treatment often uses antibodies such as super immunoglobulins. Unborn babies diagnosed with the rubella virus need special care.

Is there a way to prevent neonatal infections?

 

 

Pregnant mothers can completely prevent neonatal infections by flu vaccination or some specific antibodies. In addition, you should visit the hospital for prenatal screening tests to detect signs of any type of infection. Additional tips for preventing infection in a newborn include:

Practice safe sex

Get the prenatal screening tests done

Proper hygiene and food handling

Wash your hands before and after eating and after using the toilet

Establish a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle

Avoid contact with people affected by any of the above infections

The problem of neonatal infection can be completely prevented by establishing a healthy lifestyle. Besides, you and your doctor should check up regularly to ensure a healthy pregnancy!