Current and emerging treatments for neonatal sepsis

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Mortality due to sepsis is still prevalent, peaking at extreme ages of life including infancy. Despite many efforts, the peculiarity of the infant immune system has limited further advances in its treatment. Indeed, neonates experience a dramatic physiological transition from immune tolerance to the maternal antigens to functional maturity. Such a transition is extremely dynamic, as is the pathophysiology of infant sepsis, which is dependent on many infant, maternal, and environmental factors.