111 例未通过听力筛查新生儿常见耳聋基因突变位点分析

目的了解未通过听力筛查新生儿耳聋基因突变情况。方法随机选取听力筛查未通过、经听觉脑干诱发电位(ABR)测试为感音神经性耳聋患儿111例,收集足跟血血片,提取基因组DNA后,检测GJB2、SLC26A4和线粒体12 Sr RNA基因中的11个热点的突变,分析听力损失程度与突变的关联。结果 111例新生儿中,共检出携带耳聋基因突变24例(21.6%)。其中,GJB 2基因突变14例(12.6%),包括235 del C单杂合突变5例,235 del C和299_300 del AT复合杂合突变5例,以及235del C纯合突变、299_300del AT单杂合突变、176_191del16和235del C复合杂合突变、299_300del AT和508_511 dup AACG复合杂合突变各1例;SLC 26 A 4基因突变10例(9.0%),包括IVS 7-2 AG单杂合突变2例,1226 GA单杂合突变3例,2168 AG单杂合突变2例,IVS7-2AG和2168 AG复合杂合突变3例。本组耳聋患儿中未检出线粒体基因突变。结论未通过听力筛查新生儿中,超过1/5检测到聋基因突变,并以GJB2基因突变最常见,实施热点致聋基因检测可以提高耳聋的病因诊断率。     

新生儿重症监护病房细菌感染及耐药性监测

目的 探讨新生儿重症监护病房细菌感染及其对抗生素的耐药情况.方法 对646株培养阳性菌株以VITEK全自动微生物分析仪进行菌株鉴定及药敏试验.结果 646株培养阳性标本中,革兰阴性菌380株,占58.8％,革兰阳性菌254株,占39.3％.革兰阴性杆菌以肺炎克雷白杆菌最常见,其次为大肠埃希菌;革兰阳性菌以金黄色葡萄球菌最常见.产ESBL阳性菌株73株,包括肺炎克雷白杆菌50株,大肠杆菌23株.常见革兰阴性细菌对氨苄西林、头孢曲松、头孢唑啉耐药率高,对头孢吡肟、头孢他啶、亚胺培南、哌拉西林/他唑巴坦的耐药率低.ESBL阳性肺炎克雷白杆菌及大肠埃希菌对氨苄西林、头孢菌素类耐药显著高于亚胺培南及哌拉西林/他唑巴坦(P＜0.01).常见革兰阳性细菌对青霉素耐药率高达74.6％～ 91.7％,耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌对氨苄西林/舒巴坦、红霉素、亚胺培南、苯唑西林、青霉素耐药率均高,达80％ ～ 100％,目前未发现耐万古霉素、利奈唑胺革兰阳性细菌.结论 我院新生儿重症监护病房细菌以肺炎克雷白杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠埃希菌最常见,对常用抗生素的耐药现象需重视,尤其ESBL阳性细菌及耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌耐药现象更严重,应尽早根据药敏试验调整抗生素.     

天津市新生儿听力及耳聋基因联合筛查结果分析

目的 分析天津市新生儿听力及耳聋基因联合筛查情况。方法 选择2018年1月1日—12月31日在天津市全部助产机构出生的新生儿作为研究对象,在知情告知自愿筛查的前提下进行新生儿听力及耳聋基因联合筛查。结果 102 570例新生儿中210例（0.2%）有不同程度听力障碍,其中双耳聋114例,单耳聋96例。72 866例进行耳聋基因筛查,检出耳聋基因变异3 924例（5.4%）,其中单基因纯合变异（均质变异）146例,单基因复合杂合变异14例,多基因复合杂合变异68例,单基因杂合变异（异质变异）3 696例。GJB2、SLC26A4、GJB3及线粒体12SrRNA基因的变异检出率分别为4.8%、4.5%、0.4%和0.2%。进行听力学诊断的423例患儿中,听力障碍组耳聋基因变异率高于正常组;210例听力障碍患儿中,双耳聋组的耳聋基因变异率高于单耳聋组;114例双耳聋患儿中,重度极重度聋组的耳聋基因变异率高于轻中度聋组,差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 常见耳聋基因筛查,为本地区医疗保健咨询提供参考,降低听力障碍发生率。     

新生儿重症监护病房鲍曼不动杆菌感染的临床调查与耐药现状

目的了解我院新生儿重症监护病房鲍曼不动杆菌感染的临床情况及其对常见抗生素耐药率的变迁。方法回顾性分析2005—2011年温州医学院附属育英儿童医院新生儿重症监护病房收治的鲍曼不动杆菌感染患儿的临床资料及鲍曼不动杆菌的药敏试验结果。结果 7年间共有98例患儿发生鲍曼不动杆菌感染,检出部位包括肺部82例(83.7%),血液11例(11.2%),其他部位5例(5.1%)。新生儿鲍曼不动杆菌感染病死率16.3%。分离出的173株鲍曼不动杆菌对12种常见抗生素的耐药率呈递增趋势,2011年对碳青霉烯类抗生素耐药率达52.4%,对三代头孢抗生素耐药率达61.9%,均较2005—2007年显著增高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001);2011年对头孢哌酮/舒巴坦耐药率为2.6%,与2005—2007年比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。肺部感染鲍曼不动杆菌患儿中,与对碳青霉烯类抗生素敏感者比较,耐药者特点为低体重[1055g(901～1562)g比1572g(1201～2800)g,P=0.001],低胎龄[28.3周(27.0～31.7)周比32.4周(28.7～38.7)周,P=0.002],住院时间长[70天(46～98)天比46天(20～73)天,P=0.006],手术史比例高[6/19比3/63,P=0.001],感染前使用过碳青霉烯类抗生素的比例高[10/19比17/63,P=0.037],机械通气时间长[20天(8～42)天比8天(5～17)天,P=0.014]。Logistic回归分析显示,感染耐碳青霉烯类抗生素鲍曼不动杆菌的独立危险因素是低胎龄(OR=7.24,95%CI1.83～28.57,P=0.005)和手术史(OR=10.72,95%CI1.77～65.04,P=0.01)。结论新生儿鲍曼不动杆菌耐药率呈递增趋势,多重耐药甚至泛耐药鲍曼不动杆菌逐渐增多;新生儿发生鲍曼不动杆菌感染时病死率较高,低胎龄和有手术史的患儿需警惕耐碳青霉烯类抗生素鲍曼不动杆菌的感染。     

重症监护病房新生儿心律失常的临床特点及预后

目的探讨新生儿重症监护病房(NICU)中新生儿心律失常的临床特点及预后。方法对本院NICU 2007年7月至2011年1月收治的心律失常新生儿资料进行回顾性分析,结性或交界性心律、房性早搏和室性早搏为良性心律失常组,室上性快速心律失常、Ⅱ度Ⅱ型以上窦房传导阻滞、Ⅱ度以上房室传导阻滞和室性心动过速为非良性心律失常组,总结两组患儿的临床特点及预后。结果 48例心律失常新生儿,其中男32例,女16例;足月儿37例,早产儿11例。心律失常以非良性心律失常占多数,共36例(75.0%),均有临床表现,其中12例(25.0%)入院时即存在呼吸、循环衰竭;感染、缺氧、器质性心脏病、电解质紊乱及酸碱失衡为主要高危因素;心律失常类型以快速心律失常为主,共30例(83.3%)。良性心律失常多无症状,经病因治疗或抗心律失常治疗均痊愈或好转,非良性心律失常中死亡4例,未愈3例。结论 NICU新生儿心律失常中非良性心律失常相对较多,多数有临床表现,且需及时治疗,预后与原发病及心律失常类型有关,室上性心律失常相对预后好,室性心律失常预后差。     

GJB2基因及其诊断筛查技术研究进展

耳聋基因GJB2定位于13q11-q12,编码connexin26(CX26)蛋白.在常染色体隐形遗传的非综合征性耳聋中,有50%的患者存在着GJB2基因的突变,然而在不同种族中,GJB2基因的突变位点也是不同的.35delG是欧美人群主要的突变形式;突变位点167delT在犹太耳聋人群中多见;而在亚裔人群中,235delC突变占有极大的比例.由于GJB2基因在遗传性耳聋中的特殊地位,因此对于GJB2基因的诊断及筛查技术就显得尤为重要.在新生儿听力筛查基础上,融入耳聋易患基因分子水平筛查,在早期发现和干预先天性听力损失方面发挥着重要作用.     

母乳喂养对新生儿重症监护病房早产儿的益处

世界卫生组织(WHO)统计,如果所有妇女能在产后1 h内开始母乳哺喂新生婴儿,每年可拯救100万新生儿的生命。同时WHO 2013年11月更新,预计每年约有1 500万名早产儿(胎龄小于37周)出生。在184个国家中,早产发生率为5%~18%。中国早产儿出生人数仅次于印度,排名第二,已达1 172 300名。随着救治水平的提高,我国早产儿成活率逐年上升,母乳对于早产婴儿来说更加重     

新生儿重症监护病房医院感染 临床特点及危险因素分析

目的 探讨新生儿重症监护病房( NICU)医院感染的危险因素.方法 对2005-2010年我院NICU收治的新生儿临床资料进行回顾性分析,根据是否发生医院感染分为病例组和对照组,分析两组患儿的临床特点及发生医院感染的危险因素.结果 纳入的3150例新生儿中发生医院感染256例,发生率8.1％.医院感染与胎龄、出生体重、住院时间、机械通气、外周置入中心静脉导管、胃管留置及胃肠外营养等密切相关（P均＜0.05）,其中住院时间＞14天是医院感染发生的独立危险因素（OR=7.432,95％CI:0.345～6.290）.医院感染病原体以革兰阴性菌为主,其中β-内酰胺酶阳性菌阳性率高(26.2％),耐药性强.结论 医院感染的发生与多种因素有关,住院时间越长,发生率越高,应积极治疗基础疾病,加强管理和防范,降低NICU医院感染发生率.     

重症监护病房与普通病房新生儿肺炎病原菌与药敏结果比较北大核心CSCD

目的 探讨新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）住院的与普通病房新生儿肺炎的病原菌及其药敏是否相似？NICU内曾使用或未使用呼吸机治疗的新生儿肺炎,其病原菌及其药敏是否相似？研究不同的呼吸机辅助通气模式是否影响痰培养结果及药敏？方法 回顾性分析222例诊断为新生儿肺炎且行痰培养检查住院新生儿的临床资料,将入住NICU的152例新生儿纳入NICU组,并按照是否予呼吸机辅助治疗分为上机组90例（其中根据通气方式将仅给予CPAP通气的16例作为无创通气组,给予气管插管采用PC模式或高频通气模式的74例作为有创通气组）,未上机组62例;将同期在普通病房住院未上机治疗的70例新生儿作为对照即普通组.运用x2检验,首先比较NICU组与普通组的痰培养及药敏结果;然后比较NICU组内上机组与未上机组痰培养及药敏结果;最后进一步上机组内比较无创通气组与有创通气组痰培养及药敏结果.结果 1.痰培养病原菌比较：（1） NICU组及普通组致病菌均以革兰阴性杆菌为主,但NICU组革兰阴性杆菌比例显著高于普通组[NICU组92.6％（150/162例）;普通组68.7％（44/64例）x2=28.846,P=0.000];30株多重耐药菌均来源于NICU组,比例显著高于普通组[NICU组18.5％（30/162例）;普通组0,x2=13.666,P=0.000].（2）NICU组内是否上机革兰阴性杆菌比例差异无统计学意义[上机组91.6％（108/118例）;未上机组95.5％（42/44例）,x2=6.805,P=0.224].上机组及未上机组均有多重耐药菌,比例差异无统计学意义[上机组20.4％ （24/118例）：未上机组19.0％（8/44例）x2=0.095,P=0.826].（3） NICU内上机组不同通气方式革兰阴性杆菌比例差异无统计学意义[有创通气组90.2％（92/102例）;无创通气组100.0％（16/16例）,x2=3.552,P=0.169].2.痰培养药敏结果：（1） NICU组的大肠埃希菌、铜绿假单胞菌、鲍曼不动杆菌绝大多数为多重耐药菌（耐药率66.0％～100.0％）,NICU组内有创通气组的铜绿假单胞菌对多黏环素敏感（敏感率100.0％）.肺炎克雷伯菌亚种、阴沟肠杆菌对亚安培南西斯他丁、美罗培南、阿米卡星有一定敏感性（敏感率60.0％ ～ 100.0％）.（2）常见革兰阴性杆菌由于来源不同,同一细菌对同一抗生素的敏感率存在如下特点：来源于NICU组的较普通组敏感率普遍降低;NICU组内来源于上机组的较未上机组敏感率普遍降低;上机组内来源于有创通气组的较无创通气组敏感率普遍降低.（3）普通组的常见革兰阴性杆菌对头孢唑啉、氨苄西林完全耐药;对哌拉西林/他唑巴坦、头孢他啶有一定敏感率（敏感率均介于50.0％ ～ 70.0％）;对阿米卡星、左氧氟沙星、美罗培南、亚安培南西斯他丁、环丙沙星均较敏感（敏感率均＞70.0％）.结论 NICU住院新生儿肺炎病原菌仍以革兰阴性杆菌为主,前5位是肺炎克雷伯菌亚种、鲍曼不动杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌、阴沟肠杆菌、大肠埃希菌.NICU上呼吸机治疗、有创通气的患儿易发生多重耐药菌感染;治疗用常规头孢、青霉素类等β-内酰胺类抗生素可能疗效不佳,而碳青霉素类、氨基糖苷类抗生素可作为主要考虑使用的药物;若为铜绿假单胞菌感染,首选多黏环素治疗.普通组新生儿肺炎治疗时优先选择含有内酰胺酶抑制剂的抗生素,如果疗效不佳,则可考虑选择碳青霉素类、氨基糖苷类、喹诺酮类抗生素.     

新生儿重症监护病房嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌感染临床分析

目的探讨新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌（SMA）感染的临床特点、耐药情况及治疗。方法对2008年1月至2012年12月我院NICU收治的SMA感染患儿进行回顾性分析,对其临床特征、细菌耐药性及治疗情况进行总结。结果本院NICU近5年共收治新生儿20463例,其中SMA感染54例,发生率2.63‰,2008—2012年发生率分别为4.17‰、2.80‰、3.05‰、2.50‰、0.94‰。其中新生儿败血症36例,新生儿肺炎18例;早产儿与足月儿发生率差异无统计学意义（2.61‰比2.65‰,P〉0.05）。临床主要表现为气促（27例）、黄疸（22例）、青紫（17例）、消化道出血（7例）、腹胀（8例）、呕吐（7例）等,常见并发症有呼吸衰竭（18例）、心力衰竭（13例）、坏死性小肠结肠炎（6例）、弥散性血管内凝血（4例）、休克（3例）等;13例（24.1%）考虑为医院感染,早产儿及气管插管机械通气患儿医院感染发生率分别高于足月儿及鼻塞无创辅助通气患儿（1.63‰比0.2‰,7.21‰比0.75‰,P均〈0.01）。SMA对头孢哌酮/舒巴坦、替卡西林/克拉维酸钾敏感度较高,均〉70%,对哌拉西林/他唑巴坦、头孢他啶耐药率在30%~40%。结论SMA是新生儿医院感染的重要病原菌,新生儿SMA感染主要表现为新生儿败血症和新生儿肺炎,耐药率高,早产儿医院感染SMA发生率高于足月儿。     

Ten-year quality assurance of the nationwide hearing screening programme in Dutch neonatal intensive care units

Aim: To evaluate 10‐year quality assurance of newborn hearing screening (NHS) in Dutch neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Methods: Results of the two‐stage automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) screening and diagnostic examination in NICU graduates were centrally registered between October 1998 and December 2008. This registration facilitates screening, tracking and follow‐up after abnormal screening results. Outcome measures are referral rates, prevalence rate of hearing loss and (trends of) coverage rates and timeliness of follow‐up. Results: Thirty‐two thousand one hundred and two infants have been screened. Referral rates were 9.2% at the first and 26.3% at the second stage. Hearing loss was diagnosed in 728 infants (2.2%). Coverage rates were 98.7% at the first, 92.1% at the second stage, 92.3% for the diagnostic examination and 97.9% for the complete programme. After correction for gestational age, 95.8% of the infants had their first AABR <1 month, 81.8% of the referred infants had their second AABR <6 weeks and 67.1% were diagnosed <3 months. There was a positive trend in referred infants that had their second AABR <6 weeks (p = 0.004) as well as in infants diagnosed <3 months (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The NHS in Dutch NICUs is effective. Timely identification of hearing loss is improving over time.     

Implementation and results of bedside hearing screening with automated auditory brainstem response in the neonatal intensive care unit

Aim: To evaluate implementation and results of neonatal hearing screening with automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) by bedside nurses in a single‐centre neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: Retrospective review of charts of 2074 newborns admitted over a 4‐year period. Results: One thousand eight hundred and 24 newborns (88%) were screened. A ‘pass’ result was obtained in 1761 patients (96.5%). From 63 infants with ‘refer’, 40 were tested with auditory brainstem response: in 28 hearing loss was confirmed. Three hundred and nine neonates were screened before postmenstrual age (PMA) of 34 weeks: 78% successfully passed the first test. Sixty‐seven infants with ‘refer’ at the first test before PMA of 34 weeks were re‐evaluated: 48 had normal hearing tests, 24 of whom still younger than 34 weeks. For 12 of 19 infants with ‘refer’ before 34 weeks, follow‐up was available: in 7 hearing loss was confirmed. Conclusion: Neonatal hearing screening with AABR can be easily performed by the bedside nurse in the NICU even in premature babies before 34 weeks PMA. A ‘pass’ result can be obtained in almost 80% of them; a ‘refer’ result at that age, however, must be interpreted cautiously, as false ‘refer’ occurred in 5/12 of these infants.     

Various aspects of hearing loss in newborns: A narrative review

Hearing loss is considered the most common birth defect. The estimated prevalence of moderate and severe hearing loss in a normal newborn is 0.1%-0.3%, while the prevalence is 2%-4% in newborns admitted to the newborn intensive care unit. Neonatal hearing loss can be congenital (syndromic or non-syndromic) or acquired such as ototoxicity. In addition, the types of hearing loss can be conductive, sensorineural, or mixed. Hearing is vital for the acquisition of language and learning. Therefore, early detection and prompt treatment are of utmost importance in preventing the unwanted sequel of hearing loss. The hearing screening program is mandatory in many nations, especially for high-risk newborns. An automated auditory brainstem response test is used as a screening tool in newborns admitted to the newborn intensive care unit. Moreover, genetic testing and screening for cytomegalovirus in newborns are essential in identifying the cause of hearing loss, particularly, mild and delayed onset types of hearing loss. We aimed to update the knowledge on the various aspects of hearing loss in newborns with regard to the epidemiology, risk factors, causes, screening program, investigations, and different modalities of treatment.     

Characteristics of neonatal intensive care unit patients in North Carolina: a cross-sectional survey

A shortage of neonatal intensive care facilities has been encountered in some areas of the country including North Carolina. To examine possible solutions to this health care delivery problem, a cross-sectional survey of all the neonatal intensive care units in North Carolina was performed to examine characteristics of patients occupying the beds in these facilities. It was found that a substantial amount of chronic care is now occurring in neonatal intensive care beds, with 38% of occupants of neonatal intensive care beds being 31 days of age or older and 3% being mechanically ventilated at 91 days of age or older. In addition, according to criteria established for this study, a substantial number of "convalescent" patients (32%) were occupying beds in neonatal intensive care units. It is concluded that an increase in both intermediate/convalescent care beds and establishment of chronic care facilities in North Carolina, rather than an increase in intensive care beds in these units, would alleviate the shortage of neonatal intensive care facilities. Further, the characteristics of the population occupying neonatal intensive care unit beds should be considered by health planners in addition to occupancy rate, when new facilities are being established.     

Pendred syndrome among patients with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatalscreening: identification of two novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">PDS/SLC26A4</Emphasis> mutations

Pendred syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by sensorineural hearing loss and thyroid dyshormonogenesis. It is caused by mutations in the PDS/SLC26A4 gene (OMIM 605646) encoding for pendrin. Hypothyroidism in Pendred syndrome can be—although rarely—present from birth and therefore diagnosed by neonatal screening. The aim of our study was to identify patients with Pendred syndrome among a historical cohort of patients with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) identified by neonatal screening, and to find their mutations in the PDS/SLC26A4 gene. We investigated 197 Czech Caucasian children with CH detected by the neonatal screening between the years 1985 and 2005. The clinical diagnosis of Pendred syndrome was based on the laboratory and sonographic signs of thyroid dyshormonogenesis in association with sensorineural hearing loss. In subjects clinically diagnosed with Pendred syndrome, we sequenced all exons and exon-intron boundaries of the PDS/SLC26A4 gene. Hearing loss was present in 10/197 children with screening-detected CH. Of these, three fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of Pendred syndrome. Two patients were compound heterozygotes for PDS/SLC26A4 mutations: patient 1 carried c.2089+1G>A / c.3G>C and patient 2 carried p.Tyr530His / p.Val422Asp. Two of the four identified mutations were novel (c.3G>C in patient 1 and p.Val422Asp in patient 2). The third patient was free of mutations in the PDS/SLC26A4 gene, representing a phenocopy. In conclusion, our results indicate the rarity of Pendred syndrome as a cause of CH. The identification of two novel mutations expands the spectrum of mutations in the PDS/SLC26A4 gene and emphasizes their marked allelic heterogeneity. The study was supported by grants of the Czech Ministry of Education (MSM 0021620814) and Charles University in Prague (GAUK 2008/2007).     

Consent for clinical research in the neonatal intensive care unit: a retrospective survey and a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Recruitment into research studies in the neonatal intensive care unit has been problematic. Therefore suggestions have been made to take decision making about enrollment out of the hands of the parents. OBJECTIVE: To understand parental perceptions of the process of recruitment and enrollment for research in the neonatal intensive care unit. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed and used in both a retrospective survey and a prospective study of parents whose newborns were enrolled in trials in a neonatal intensive care unit. Closed ended and open ended questions were included, as well as demographic questions. RESULTS: The retrospective survey had a 79% response rate (29 of 38). Overall, 90% of parents felt that they had made informed decisions, and 93% were against the option that a doctor decide if the newborn should be enrolled into a study, rather than the parent. Although some parents (38%) found that recruitment did add "stress to an already stressful situation", 90% felt that they had made informed decisions and understood the elements of the study. Most parents had been requested to enroll their newborn into more than one trial, and, on average, they thought that they would be comfortable with enrollment into two studies (range 0-6). When asked how the process could be improved, parents suggested that information be made available before delivery. The responses of parents in the prospective study were mostly consistent with those from the retrospective survey. CONCLUSIONS: Overall the parents did not support the suggestion that decision making about enrollment be taken away from parents and put into the hands of doctors. The healthcare team should support parents in their role of decision maker, enhance availability of the research staff, and provide more information about the research.     

Neonatal bacterial sepsis in a neonatal intensive care unit: A 5 year analysis

Objective : To study the pattern of neonatal sepsis in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during a 5 year period and assess the relationship between maternal risk factors and early onset sepsis (EOS).
Methodology : The study reported here was a retrospective analysis of 209 episodes of septicaemia and 5 episodes of bacterial meningitis in 198 newborn infants, 22 of whom died. Eighty-one infants had EOS (≤72h) and 117 infants had late onset sepsis (LOS >72 h). All infants had clinical evidence of sepsis, a computerized haematological score for sepsis of 4 or greater, and either treatment with antibiotics for 7 days or more or had earlier death due to sepsis. The organisms causing neonatal sepsis were analyzed according to the day of onset, gestational age, birthweight and year of infection.
Results : Sepsis occurred in 5.6 per 1000 live births and 3.8% of NICU admissions. There were 81 episodes of EOS and 128 of LOS. Coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS) 38.8%, group B Streptococcus (GBS) 20.1% and Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) 20.1% were the common causes of sepsis; and GBS (50.6%) and CONS (60.9%) were the most common organisms in EOS and LOS, respectively. The mean gestational age and birthweight were heigher in babies with EOS than compared with LOS. The higher likelihood of probable rather than definite infection in infants with EOS was related to more mothers in the EOS group receiving intrapartum antibiotics. GNB infection was more common in their babies.
Conclusions : GBS and CONS were the most common causes of EOS and LOS, respectively. The use of maternal intrapartum antibiotics interferes with neonatal blood culture results. Because blood cultures are not always positive in neonatal septicaemia, a combination of clinical, haematological and other microbiological evidence should be used when diagnosing neonatal septicaemia.     

Skin‐to‐skin care in neonatal intensive care units in the Nordic countries: a survey of attitudes and practices

Aim: To investigate the application of skin‐to‐skin care (SSC) in the Nordic countries, the existence of guidelines for SSC and the attitudes of neonatal staff towards SSC. Methods: One questionnaire was distributed at unit level and one at staff level in all Nordic neonatal intensive care units (n = 109). Results: The unit questionnaire was answered by 95 (87%) units and the staff questionnaire by 1446 staff members (72%). All units offered SSC to various degrees, but guidelines only existed at 47% of them. Units in Denmark, Norway and Sweden seemed to use SSC earlier, longer and in more medically complicated situations than units in Finland and Iceland. Seventy‐seven per cent of the units had private rooms where parents and infants could stay together, still the physical environment of the units limited the use of SSC. Medical risks were considered the main barrier for further implementation of SSC, while general development and early interaction were the most frequently mentioned benefits. Conclusion: Skin‐to‐skin care is implemented in all Nordic neonatal units, but offered to various degrees, to various populations and to varying extents. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish units are offering SSC more extensively than units in Finland and Iceland.