Hospital-acquired infections in newborns

[Ernesto]

Hospital-acquired infections in newborns are infections that develop after newborns have been admitted to the nursery. These infections do not come from the mother when the baby is in the womb and do not occur at delivery.

These infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
Symptoms vary but may include vomiting, fever, and a rash.
The diagnosis is typically based on a physical examination.
Various measures, such as handwashing, can help prevent spreading infections.
Infections are treated based on the cause.

(See also Overview of Infections in Newborns.)
Some infections are acquired after admission to the newborn nursery rather than from the mother in utero (in the womb) or during delivery. Sometimes it is not clear whether the source is the mother or the hospital environment. Infections acquired in the hospital are mainly problems for newborns who have to stay in the hospital for a long time, for example, premature newborns and full-term newborns who have serious medical disorders.
The most common hospital-acquired infections are pneumonia (lung infection) and blood infections (bacteremia) resulting from a catheter that has been inserted into a vein (also called an IV) to give the newborn fluids or drugs.
In full-term newborns, the most frequent hospital-acquired infection is a skin infection resulting from the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Often, infections are not noticed until newborns are at home.
In very-low-birth-weight infants, the majority of hospital-acquired infections also are caused by staphylococci. But certain other bacteria and fungi also are causes. The lower the birth weight, the higher the risk of infection, particularly in newborns who need to be on a ventilator or need IVs for a long time. The longer newborns stay in special care nurseries or neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and the more procedures they have done, the higher is their likelihood of infection.