Sepsis in newborns

[Little_Girl]

Sepsis is a serious bodywide reaction to infection spread through the blood.

Newborns with sepsis appear generally ill—they are listless, do not feed well, often have a gray color, and may have a fever or a low body temperature.
The diagnosis is based on the symptoms and the presence of bacteria, a virus, or a fungus in the blood, urine, or spinal fluid.
Treatment involves antibiotics and supportive treatments such as intravenous fluids, blood and plasma transfusions, assistance with breathing (sometimes with a mechanical ventilator), and drugs to support blood pressure.
Infection in the bloodstream may spread to the tissues covering the brain and the brain itself (meningitis).

(See also Overview of Infections in Newborns and Sepsis, Severe Sepsis, and Septic Shock.)
Sepsis is more likely to occur in

Infants who have a low birth weight
Infants who have a low APGAR score
Infants whose mother has certain risk factors (such as a low socioeconomic status or premature rupture of the membranes)
Males

Other risk factors for and causes of sepsis differ depending on when sepsis develops. The start (onset) is categorized as

Early-onset sepsis: Before 3 days of life
Late-onset sepsis: After 3 days or more of life

Certain viral infections, such as widespread herpes simplex, enterovirus, adenovirus, or respiratory syncytial virus, may cause early-onset or late-onset sepsis.
Premature infants are at much higher risk of both early-onset and late-onset sepsis than are infants born at full term because of their immature immune system. Premature newborns lack certain protective antibodies against specific bacteria because they were born before they could receive them from their mother.