OUTLINE

Outline

Outline

Nosocomial infections in newborns are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. This article provides an overview of the risk factors, causative organisms, and major sites of these infections and describes selective characteristics of emerging nosocomial pathogens.

Prematurity, low birth weight, and immature immune systems predispose infants to infection. Invasive devices or procedures, antimicrobial therapy, and exposure to nursery personnel may increase their susceptibility to infection. Among infants in neonatal intensive care units, the bloodstream is the most frequent site of nosocomial infection, followed by pneumonia. Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci, Enterobacter species, and Escherichia coli are the most common nosocomial pathogens ...