Prevention of neonatal infections by vaginal chlorhexidine disinfection during labour

Comparison of two different methods of vaginal disinfection was made with regard to prevention Of neonatal infections. In method I, an antepartum vaginal douche with a chlorhexidine solution was used; method II involved the use of chlorhexidine gluconate obstetrical gel during vaginal exploration. We studied 2853 normal deliveries from a total number of 3236 deliveries: 1467 deliveries were allocated randomly to receive a vaginal douche whereas 1386 underwent vaginal exploration using chlorhexidine gel. A total of 203 neonates were transferred to the neonatal unit (120 males and 83 females): 101 belonged to the group where the mothers were subjected to method I, whereas in 102 method II had been used. Within 48 h postpartum 30 neonates from the method I group and 34 neonates from the method II group received systemic antibiotics. There was a tendency towards a higher proportion of full-term neonates with verified septicaemia in the method II group (6 versus 2), whereas the numbers of probable infections were 8 versus 12. The corresponding total numbers in preterm infants were 3 and 2, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. We conclude that the use of chlorhexidine douche compared with vaginal exploration with chlorhexidine gel provides no additional advantages.     

Percutaneous absorption of chlorhexidine in neonatal cord care.

The percutaneous absorption of chlorhexidine during its routine use in topical antiseptic preparations used in umbilical cord care was investigated by determining plasma chlorhexidine concentrations at ages 5 and 9 days. These showed that percutaneous absorption of chlorhexidine occurred in preterm neonates treated with a 1% solution of chlorhexidine in ethanol, but not in term infants similarly treated, or in preterm infants treated only with a dusting powder containing 1% chlorhexidine and 3% zinc oxide.     

Comparison of hexachlorophane and chlorhexidine powders in prevention of neonatal infection.

The protective effect of treating the skin of newborn infants with powders containing 1% chlorhexidine or 0.33% hexachlorophane was compared. Each was equally effective in preventing colonisation and infection by Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, the skin became profusely colonised by coagulase-negative staphylococci, irrespective of the powder used. Venous blood concentrations of chlorhexidine were low or undetectable in the few infants whose blood was analysed.     

早产儿呼吸暂停的防治

呼吸暂停 (apnea)是指呼吸暂停时间 >2 0s,常伴有心率减慢 <1 0 0次 /min或出现青紫、肌张力低下。呼吸暂停是早产儿常见症状之一 ,早产儿呼吸暂停发生率约 2 0 %～ 3 0 %,极低出生体重儿可达 5 0 %,超低出生体重儿则达 90 %。呼吸暂停发作时 ,出现青紫、肌张力低下、心率变慢、血氧饱和度下降、血压降低 ,如不及时发现 ,可致脑缺氧损伤 ,甚至猝死 ,应密切监护 ,及时处理。原发性呼吸暂停主要与早产儿中枢神经和呼吸系统发育未成熟有关 ,呼吸中枢的组织结构及神经元之间的联系不完善 ,神经冲动传出较弱 ,任何细微的干扰均可发生呼吸调节障碍…     

新生儿高胆红素血症的防治

新生儿黄疸是新生儿期最常见症状,尤其是早期(生后1周内)新生儿更多见。由于新生儿胆红素代谢的特点,约有5 0 %足月儿和80 %早产儿可出现肉眼可见黄疸,一般足月儿血清胆红素浓度不超过2 0 5 μmol/L(12mg/dl) ,早产儿胆红素不超过2 5 6 μmol/L(15mg/dl) ,称为生理性黄疸。在此     

新生儿机械通气并发感染的防治

机械通气在治疗新生儿呼吸衰竭、新生儿肺透明膜病、肺出血及新生儿持续性肺动脉高压等严重疾病中起到很重要的作用 ,使新生儿疾病抢救成功率大大提高 ,但是其并发感染是目前较为棘手的问题 ,国内外学者对此做了大量的调查研究 ,以期得到最大程度的防治。机械通气相关性感染包括肺炎、鼻导管处感染、鼻窦炎和败血症等 ,新生儿机械通气时并发感染除鼻窦炎不易发生外 ,其他感染均可发生 ,尤其以肺炎较为常见 ,称为机械通气相关性肺炎 (ventilator associationpneumonia,VAP) ,本文仅讨论这部分内容。VAP诊断标准 :只要满足下列两点之一即可…     

Prevention of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

Small premature infants are often hypochlorhydric, and frequently their stomachs are colonized by enteric, gram-negative bacteria. We tested a hypothesis that gastric pH affected the colonization of the stomach with enteric bacteria and that this colonization was causally related to the risk or severity of necrotizing enterocolitis. A prospective, double-blind study was conducted that compared a group of infants supplemented with 0.01-0.02 ml of 1 N HCl/ml of milk to a group with a similar supplement of water. Gastric pH, gastric enteric bacteria counts, and the incidence and severity of necrotizing enterocolitis were monitored. The median gastric pH of the HCl-supplemented group was lower (3.0) than controls (4.0) throughout the study (p less than 0.001). The gastric enteric bacterial colonization rate and the quantitative bacterial counts were strongly correlated with gastric pH over 4 (p less than 0.001). Somatic growth rates in infants in the HCl-supplemented group were equal to, or exceeded, those in the control group. There was 1 case of necrotizing enterocolitis among the 34 infants in the HCl-supplemented group and 8 cases among the 34 in the control group (p = 0.02). It appears that acidifying the feedings of small premature infants to a pH low enough to inhibit bacterial proliferation in the stomach significantly lowers the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis.     

Safety and impact of chlorhexidine antisepsis interventions for improving neonatal health in developing countries

Affordable, efficacious, and safe interventions to prevent infections and improve neonatal survival in low-resource settings are needed. Chlorhexidine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic that has been used extensively for many decades in hospital and other clinical settings. It has also been given as maternal vaginal lavage, full-body newborn skin cleansing, and/or umbilical cord cleansing to prevent infection in neonates. Recent evidence suggests that these chlorhexidine interventions may have significant public health impact on the burden of neonatal infection and mortality in developing countries. This review examines the available data from randomized and nonrandomized studies of chlorhexidine cleansing, with a primary focus on potential uses in low-resource settings. Safety issues related to chlorhexidine use in newborns are reviewed, and future research priorities for chlorhexidine interventions for neonatal health in developing countries are discussed. We conclude that maternal vaginal cleansing combined with newborn skin cleansing could reduce neonatal infections and mortality in hospitals of sub-Saharan Africa, but the individual impact of these interventions must be determined, particularly in community settings. There is evidence for a protective benefit of newborn skin and umbilical cord cleansing with chlorhexidine in the community in south Asia. Effectiveness trials in that region are required to address the feasibility of community-based delivery methods such as incorporating these interventions into clean birth kits or training programs for minimally skilled delivery assistants or family members. Efficacy trials for all chlorhexidine interventions are needed in low-resource settings in Africa, and the benefit of maternal vaginal cleansing beyond that provided by newborn skin cleansing needs to be determined.     

Prevention of neonatal conjunctivitis in Zaire

With the emergence of chlamydia as a major cause of neonatal conjunctivitis, silver nitrate is no longer the prophylactic agent of choice in many parts of the world. We studied 450 consecutive newborns in north-eastern Zaire in an effort to determine which of two agents provided the most effective prophylaxis. None of 236 newborns treated at birth with 1% silver nitrate and none of 123 treated with 1% tetracycline was found to develop conjunctivitis. Three of 91 "forgotten" babies developed gonococcal conjunctivitis. Nurses, thinking tetracycline was "messy", tended to "forget" to treat babies for whom tetracycline was prescribed. The use of silver nitrate still provides adequate prophylaxis in Zaire. Potential changes in the prophylactic regimen would need to take the perceptions of health care workers into account.     

新生儿先天性梅毒预防及早期诊断探讨

目的 探讨母亲梅毒治疗情况对新生儿先天性梅毒发病的影响.方法 回顾性分析2007年1月至2010年6月我科梅毒螺旋体明胶颗粒凝集试验(TPPA)阳性新生儿的临床资料.将TPPA阳性新生儿分成母亲正规治疗组、非正规治疗组及未治疗组,对3组新生儿先天性梅毒发病情况进行统计学分析,总结新生儿先天性梅毒的临床表现.结果 117例TPPA阳性新生儿中,确诊先天性梅毒患儿26例.母亲正规治疗组新生儿先天性梅毒发生率明显低于非正规治疗组及未治疗组（6.6％比47.1％、36.1％,P均＜0.01）.新生儿先天性梅毒可累及多个系统,表现为皮肤损害、病理性黄疸、肝脾肿大、水肿、贫血、血小板减少、C反应蛋白增高、骨损害、脑脊液异常等.结论 新生儿先天性梅毒临床表现缺乏特异性,早期诊断需结合母亲病史及梅毒血清学检查.积极防治母亲梅毒感染是预防新生儿先天性梅毒的关键.     

Prevention and management of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections

Human herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in neonates can result in devastating outcomes, including mortality and significant morbidity. All infants are potentially at risk for neonatal HSV infection. This position statement reviews epidemiology, transmission and risk factors, with a focus on intrapartum infection. It considers diagnosis and prognosis according to infection category, along with testing modalities and limitations. Recommendations for managing newborns known to have been exposed intrapartum to HSV are based on expert opinion because a randomized trial to compare management options is not feasible. Guidance is provided for the empirical management of infants with suspected clinical sepsis, including those who do not respond to antibacterial therapy. The present statement replaces a 2006 position statement by the Canadian Paediatric Society.     

Prevention of neonatal cold injury in preterm infants

In many parts of the world neonatal cold injury still contributes to neonatal death in preterm or growth-retarded neonates. Kangaroo Mother Care might improve the situation and is the only effective, affordable and available method to prevent neonatal hypothermia in most developing countries. In developed countries, highly sophisticated incubators and radiant warmers are available but there is increasing concern about the long-term effects of high levels of sound, disturbing light and unplanned procedures which can have a bearing on the use of these tools. A controlled clinical trial of cot-nursing with a heated, water-filled mattress is presented in this issue of Acta Paediatrica. CONCLUSION: The results from the new trial and the recently published systematic reviews by the Cochrane Library of technologies to provide warmth to preterm infants in modem neonatal intensive care units, makes it possible to suggest the place of available tools: incubators, radiant warmers, heated water-filled mattresses and care in skin-to-skin contact.