Intrauterine infection in a newborn how much is treated. Risk group for UI in newborns

Intrauterine infection is called a viral, bacterial, fungal infection of the embryo, fetus or newborn during gestation or during childbirth. Depending on the type and severity of infection, this condition can lead to severe malformations of mental and physical development, hypoxia, death of the unborn child and, as a result, to premature birth.

Causes of intrauterine infection of the fetus

The pathological process can be caused by such microorganisms:

bacteria (damage by staphylococcus, streptococcus, tetanus, diphtheria bacillus);

viruses (rubella, chickenpox, influenza, cytomegalovirus, herpes);

fungi (for example, the genus Candida);

less often - protozoa (toxoplasma).

All these microorganisms can disrupt the normal development of an unborn baby during an acute or chronic illness of the mother, by:

transplacental penetration (herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis);

ascending infection (STDs, chlamydia, vaginal candidiasis);

descending infection (any inflammatory diseases of the ovaries and fallopian tubes);

direct contact (HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, C).

Symptoms of intrauterine infection

Intrauterine infection is always the result of a mother's disease, which may be overt or latent. For example, a fetus can get a small amount of the rubella virus even if the mother is not sick but has been in contact with a sick person.

The same picture is typical for the defeat of the embryo by Toxoplasma - the mother is only a carrier of the simplest, which at the initial stage of the disease is very dangerous for the unborn child. In this case, there is a threat of intrauterine infection in the newborn.

Both individual facts and their combination can speak about congenital infection:

at a gestational age of up to 12 weeks: the threat of miscarriage, uterine hypertonicity, miscarriage, freezing of the embryo, diagnosing pathologies based on the results of ultrasound (malformations of the neural tube);

at a gestation period of 13-40 weeks: uterine hypertonicity, fetal death, the threat of premature birth, diagnosing pathologies based on ultrasound results (heart defects, myocarditis, brain malformations, congenital pyelonephritis and pneumonia, the level of development of internal organs does not correspond to the gestational age).

In some cases, the child may be born on time and be declared healthy, however, after a while, he may show signs of intrauterine infection - sepsis, osteomyelitis, progressive cataract, hepatitis.

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This is due to the possibility of transmission of microorganisms during childbirth or the so-called delayed pathology, the cause of which lies in infection during gestation.

How intrauterine infection affects preterm birth

Premature birth - delivery that began between 22 and 37 completed weeks of pregnancy; such a process can be early (22-27 weeks), middle (23-33 weeks) and late (33-37 weeks). The presence of an infection in the fetus can provoke this pathology for 2 reasons:

any deviations in the development of the unborn child is a process that contradicts the basic law of nature about the survival of the fittest. The body of a woman often reacts violently to deviations of the unborn child caused by intrauterine infection, therefore she tries in every possible way to get rid of the defective fetus, and in this case a premature baby may be born;

when an unborn child is infected due to the fact that the pregnant woman has suffered an acute or chronic form of a sexually transmitted disease (syphilis, gonorrhea), premature birth can cause a violation of the muscle tone of the uterus or loss of elasticity

Diagnosis and treatment

Intrauterine infection of a child can only be assumed based on the combination of the following indicators:

data on specific diseases suffered by a pregnant woman at a certain stage of pregnancy;

the results of laboratory studies of the mother's physiological fluids, including amniotic fluid and a blood test for Torch infection (detection of rubella, herpes, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma and pale spirochete viruses - the causative agent of syphilis);

ultrasound examination data that indicate pathologies of fetal development;

the results of the study of parts of the umbilical cord and placenta, as well as the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of the child (if the newborn is infected by contact).

Therapeutic tactics for various intrauterine infections are different and depend on the gestation period, the condition of the woman, the condition of the fetus, the nature and severity of the disease.

Developing in the mother's belly, the child is relatively safe. In relative terms, since even in such sterile conditions there is a risk of developing an infectious disease. This large group of diseases is called intrauterine infections. During pregnancy, a woman should especially carefully monitor her health. A sick mother can infect her child during fetal development or during childbirth. The signs and methods of diagnosing such diseases will be discussed in the article.

The danger of intrauterine infections is that they unceremoniously interfere in the formation of a new life, which is why babies are born weak and sick - with defects in mental and physical development. Such infections can cause the greatest harm to the fetus in the first 3 months of its existence.

Intrauterine infection during pregnancy: what the statistics say

1. A timely diagnosed and treated infectious disease in a pregnant woman poses a minimal danger to her child.
2. Infectious agents pass from mother to baby in 10 out of 100 pregnancies.
3. 0.5% of babies infected in the womb are born with the corresponding signs of the disease.
4. An infection that has settled in the mother's body does not necessarily pass to the fetus, and the child has a chance to be born healthy.
5. A number of infectious diseases that do not bode well for the baby may be present in the mother in a latent form and practically do not affect her well-being.
6. If a pregnant woman falls ill with one or another infectious disease for the first time, it is likely that the child will also become infected from it.

Intrauterine infection - ways of infection of the embryo

There are four ways that infectious agents can enter a tiny growing organism:

• hematogenous (transplacental) - from the mother, harmful microorganisms penetrate to the fetus through the placenta. This route of infection is characteristic of viruses and toxoplasma;
• ascending - infection occurs when the pathogen rises to the uterus through the genital tract and, having penetrated into its cavity, infects the embryo. So the baby may have a chlamydial infection and enterococci;
• descending - the focus of infection is the fallopian tubes (with adnexitis or oophoritis). From there, the pathogens enter the uterine cavity, where they infect the child;
• contact - infection of the baby occurs during childbirth, when it moves along the birth canal of a sick mother. Pathogens enter the child's body after he swallowed infected amniotic fluid.

Intrauterine infection at different stages of pregnancy: consequences for the child

The outcome of infectious infection of the fetus depends on at what stage of intrauterine development it was attacked by dangerous microorganisms:

• gestational age 3 - 12 weeks: spontaneous abortion or the appearance of various developmental anomalies in the fetus;
• gestational age 11 - 28 weeks: the fetus noticeably lags behind in fetal development, the child is born with insufficient body weight and various malformations (for example, congenital heart disease);
• gestational age after 30 weeks: developmental anomalies affect the organs of the fetus, which by this time have already formed. The infection poses the greatest danger to the central nervous system, heart, liver, lungs and organs of vision.

In addition, congenital infection has an acute and chronic form. The following consequences indicate an acute infection of a child at birth:

• shock state;
• pneumonia;
• sepsis (blood poisoning).

Some time after childbirth, an acute intrauterine infection in newborns can manifest itself with the following signs:

• excessive daily sleep duration;
• poor appetite;
• insufficient physical activity, which decreases every day.

If congenital infection is chronic, the clinical picture may be absent altogether. Distant signs of intrauterine infection are:

• complete or partial deafness;
• deviations in mental health;
• vision pathology;
• lagging behind peers in motor development.

The penetration of infection to the fetus through the uterus leads to the following consequences:

• the birth of a dead baby;
• intrauterine death of the embryo;
• frozen pregnancy;
• spontaneous abortion.

In children who survived such infection, the following pathological consequences are recorded:

• heat;
• rash and erosive skin lesions;
• non-immune dropsy of the fetus;
• anemia;
• enlarged liver on the background of jaundice;
• pneumonia;
• pathology of the heart muscle;
• pathology of the eye lens;
• microcephaly and hydrocephalus.

Intrauterine infection: who is at risk

Every expectant mother is at risk of being captured by an infectious agent, because during pregnancy the defenses of her body are exhausted to the limit. But the greatest danger lies in wait for women who:

• already have one or more children attending kindergarten, school;
• are related to the field of medicine and are in direct contact with people who may be potential carriers of the infection;
• work in a kindergarten, school and other children's institutions;
• have had 2 or more medical abortions in the past;
• have inflammatory diseases in a sluggish form;
• faced with an untimely rupture of amniotic fluid;
• have had a pregnancy in the past with abnormal development of the embryo or intrauterine fetal death;
• have already given birth to a baby with signs of infection in the past.

Symptoms of intrauterine infection in a woman during pregnancy

Doctors distinguish several universal signs by which it can be assumed that the expectant mother has contracted an infectious disease:

• a sharp increase in temperature, fever;
• shortness of breath when walking or climbing stairs;
• cough;
• rash on the body;
• enlarged lymph nodes, painfully responsive to touch;
• sore joints that look swollen
• conjunctivitis, lacrimation;
• nasal congestion;
• pain in the chest.

Such a set of indications may also indicate the development of an allergy in a pregnant woman. In this case, there is no threat of infection of the fetus. Be that as it may, the expectant mother should go to the hospital as soon as at least one of these symptoms appears.

Causes of intrauterine infection during pregnancy

The activity of ubiquitous pathogenic microorganisms is the main cause of morbidity among women who are preparing to become mothers. Many bacteria and viruses, getting into the mother's body, are transmitted to the child, provoking the development of serious anomalies. Viruses responsible for the development of acute respiratory viral diseases do not pose a danger to the fetus. A threat to the condition of the child appears if only a pregnant woman has a high body temperature.

One way or another, but intrauterine infection of the baby occurs exclusively from a sick mother. There are several main factors that can contribute to the development of infectious pathology in the fetus:

1. Acute and chronic diseases of the mother in the genitourinary system. Among them are such inflammatory pathologies as cervical ectopia, urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis.
2. The mother is immunocompromised or HIV-infected.
3. Transplantation of organs and tissues that a woman has undergone in the past.

Intrauterine infections: main characteristics and ways of infection

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

The causative agent of the disease is a representative of herpes viruses. You can get the disease through sexual and close household contact, through blood (for example, when transfused from an infected donor).

With the primary infection of a woman in position, the microorganism penetrates the placenta and infects the fetus. In some cases, no abnormal consequences after infection in the baby are observed. But at the same time, statistics say: 10 babies out of 100, whose mothers encountered an infection during pregnancy, have pronounced signs of intrauterine infection.

The consequences of such an intrauterine infection during pregnancy are as follows:

• spontaneous abortion;
• the birth of a dead baby;
• hearing loss of neurosensory origin;
• low birth weight;
• hydro- and microcephaly;
• pneumonia;
• lag in the development of psychomotor;
• pathological enlargement of the liver and spleen;
• blindness of varying severity.

If the infectious lesion is of a general combined nature, more than half of the children die within 2 to 3 months after birth. In addition, the development of such consequences as mental retardation, hearing loss and blindness is likely. With a slight local lesion, the consequences are not so fatal.

Unfortunately, there are no drugs yet that can eliminate the symptoms of CMV in newborns. If a woman in a position has been diagnosed with cytomegalovirus infection, the pregnancy is left, because the child has a chance to stay healthy. The expectant mother will be prescribed an appropriate course of treatment in order to smooth out the effect of the disease on her body as much as possible.

Intrauterine infection - herpes simplex virus (HSV)

A newborn baby is diagnosed with a congenital herpes infection if his mother has a herpes simplex virus type 2, which in most cases is infected through unprotected sexual contact. Signs of the disease will appear in the child almost immediately, during the first month of life. Infection of the baby occurs mainly during childbirth, when it moves through the birth canal of an infected mother. In some cases, the virus enters the fetus through the placenta.

When a child's body is affected by a herpes infection, the consequences are severe:

• pneumonia;
• violation of visual function;
• brain damage;
• skin rash;
• heat;
• poor blood clotting;
• jaundice;
• apathy, lack of appetite;
• stillbirth.

Severe cases of infection result in oligophrenia, cerebral palsy and a vegetative state.

Intrauterine infection - rubella

This disease is rightfully considered one of the most dangerous for the life of the embryo. The route of transmission of the rubella virus is airborne, and infection is possible even at a great distance. The disease, which poses a particularly great threat before the 16th week of pregnancy, “programs” various deformities in the development of the baby:

• low birth weight;
• spontaneous abortion, intrauterine death;
• microcephaly;
• congenital anomalies in the development of the heart muscle;
• hearing loss;
• cataract;
• various skin diseases;
• pneumonia;
• unnatural enlargement of the liver and spleen;
• meningitis, encephalitis.

Intrauterine infection - parvovirus B19

The presence of this virus in the body provokes the development of a disease known as infectious erythema. In adults, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, since it proceeds latently. However, the consequences of the pathology for the fetus are more than serious: the child may die before birth, and there is also a threat of spontaneous abortion and intrauterine infection. On average, infected children die in 10 cases out of 100. At 13-28 weeks of gestation, the fetus is especially defenseless against this infection.

When infected with parvovirus B19, the following consequences are noted:

• puffiness;
• anemia;
• brain damage;
• hepatitis;
• inflammation of the myocardium;
• peritonitis.

Intrauterine infection - chickenpox

When a future mother is infected with chickenpox, the infection also affects the child in 25 cases out of 100, but there are not always symptoms of the disease.

Congenital chickenpox is identified by the following features:

• brain damage;
• pneumonia;
• skin rash;
• delayed development of the eyes and limbs;
• optic atrophy.

Newborn babies infected in the womb are not treated for chickenpox, since the clinical picture of the disease does not progress. If the pregnant woman "caught" the infection 5 days before the birth and later, the child will be given an injection of immunoglobulin after birth, since there are no maternal antibodies in his body.

Intrauterine infection - hepatitis B

You can get a dangerous virus during sexual intercourse with an infected person in the absence of barrier methods of contraception. The causative agent of the disease enters the baby through the placenta. The most dangerous period in terms of infection is from 4 to 9 months of pregnancy. The consequences of infection for a child are:

• hepatitis B, which is treatable with the appropriate approach;
• oncological diseases of the liver;
• sluggish form of hepatitis B;
• an acute form of hepatitis B, which provokes the development of liver failure in a child and he dies;
• delay in the development of psychomotor functions;
• hypoxia;
• miscarriage.

Intrauterine infection - human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

HIV infection is a scourge for specific immune lymphocytes. In most cases, infection occurs during sexual intercourse with a sick partner. A child can become infected while in the womb, or already during childbirth. HIV-infected children are shown intensive complex treatment, otherwise they will not live even two years - the infection quickly "eats" a weak organism. Infected children die from infections that do not pose a mortal danger to healthy babies.

To confirm HIV in an infant, a polymerase chain reaction diagnostic method is used. It is also very important to timely detect the infection in the body of a pregnant woman. If the baby is lucky enough to be born healthy, the mother will not breastfeed him so that the infection is not transmitted to him through milk.

Intrauterine infection - listeriosis

The disease develops as a result of the vital activity of the Listeria bacterium. The microorganism easily penetrates to the fetus through the placenta. Infection of a pregnant woman occurs through unwashed vegetables and a number of food products (milk, eggs, meat). In a woman, the disease may be asymptomatic, although in some cases fever, vomiting and diarrhea are noted. In an infected baby, the signs of listeriosis are as follows:

• rash and multiple accumulations of pustules on the skin;
• brain inflammation;
• refusal of food;
• sepsis;
• spontaneous miscarriage;
• the birth of a dead baby.

If signs of listeriosis become apparent in the first week after birth, then babies die in 60 cases out of 100. After listeriosis is confirmed in a pregnant woman, she is prescribed a two-week course of treatment with Ampicillin.

Intrauterine infection - syphilis

If a woman in position has syphilis, which she has not treated, the probability of infecting her child is almost 100%. Out of 10 infected babies, only 4 survive, and the survivors are diagnosed with congenital syphilis. The child will become infected even if the disease is latent in the mother. The results of the activity of the infection in the child's body are as follows:

• tooth decay, damage to the organs of vision and hearing;
• damage to the upper and lower extremities;
• the formation of cracks and rashes on the skin;
• anemia;
• jaundice;
• lag in mental development;
• premature birth;
• stillbirth.

Intrauterine infection - toxoplasmosis

The main carriers of toxoplasmosis are cats and dogs. The causative agent of the disease enters the body of the expectant mother when she takes care of her pet or, out of habit, tastes meat with an insufficient degree of heat treatment while preparing dinner. Infection during pregnancy poses a great danger to the intrauterine development of the crumbs - in 50 cases out of 100, the infection overcomes the placental barrier and affects the fetus. The consequences of infection of the child are as follows:

• damage to the organs of vision;
• hydrocephalus;
• microcephaly;
• abnormally enlarged liver and spleen;
• brain inflammation;
• spontaneous abortion;
• delay in the development of psychomotor functions.

Cytomegalovirus, rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes, tuberculosis, syphilis and some other diseases are combined into a group of so-called TORCH infections. When planning a pregnancy, future parents take tests that help identify these pathological conditions.

Tests for intrauterine infections during pregnancy

Within 9 months, the expectant mother will have to undergo more than one laboratory test so that the doctors make sure that she is healthy. Women in position take a blood test for hepatitis B and C, syphilis. In relation to pregnant women, the PRC method is also practiced, thanks to which it is possible to detect active viruses in the blood, if any. In addition, expectant mothers regularly visit the laboratory to take a smear from the vagina for microflora.

Ultrasound is essential for successful pregnancy management. This method is absolutely safe for the fetus. And although this procedure is not directly related to the diagnosis of infectious diseases, doctors can use it to detect abnormalities in fetal development caused by pathogenic microorganisms. There is every reason to talk about intrauterine infection if the following symptoms become apparent on ultrasound:

1. Formed pathologies of development.
2. Polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios.
3. Edema of the placenta.
4. An enlarged abdomen and unnaturally enlarged structural units of the kidneys.
5. Enlarged internal organs: heart, liver, spleen.
6. Foci of calcium deposition in the intestines, liver and brain.
7. Enlarged ventricles of the brain.

In the diagnostic program for examining expectant mothers belonging to the risk groups that we talked about above, a special place is occupied by the seroimmunological method for determining immunoglobulins. As needed, doctors resort to amniocentesis and cordocentesis. The first method of research is to study amniotic fluid, the second involves the study of cord blood. These diagnostic methods are very informative in detecting infection. If the presence of an intrauterine infection is suspected in an infant, then the biological fluids of the baby, for example, saliva or blood, serve as the material for the study.

Danger of TORCH infections during pregnancy. Video

Sometimes it happens that the pregnancy seemed to go well, and the birth went well, and the baby immediately screamed after birth, but suddenly on the second or third day of life, the doctor says that the child's condition worsened somewhat. The kid became lethargic, pale, eats poorly, burps, does not gain weight. Sounds like a serious and incomprehensible diagnosis: intrauterine infection. What is intrauterine infection, where does it come from and how to deal with it?

Intrauterine infections are those diseases that occur when the fetus becomes infected from an infected mother during pregnancy or during childbirth. Predisposing factors for the development of intrauterine infection are various chronic diseases of the mother, especially inflammatory processes of the kidneys and pelvic organs (cystitis, pyelonephritis, vaginitis, inflammation of the uterus, etc.). Occupational hazards, stress, bad habits and improper diet are also of great importance. The causative agents of intrauterine infection can be viruses (herpes, cytomegaly, influenza, rubella), bacteria (streptococci, E. coli, pale treponema, chlamydia), fungi (Candida) and protozoa (toxoplasma). When a pregnant woman encounters an infection for the first time, the chance of the baby being infected increases dramatically.

The period in which infection occurred is crucial and determines the further course of pregnancy. At the 3-12th week of pregnancy, intrauterine infection can lead to abortion or to the formation of fetal malformations. When infected at the 11-28th week of pregnancy, intrauterine growth retardation occurs, the child is born with a low body weight. Infection at a later date affects the already formed internal organs: the central nervous system is the most vulnerable, and the heart, liver, and lungs also often suffer. Intrauterine infection often leads to premature birth, which also affects the condition of the baby.

Also, infection with an intrauterine infection can occur during childbirth, for example, by swallowing infected amniotic fluid, the contents of the birth canal and by contact (through the skin and mucous membranes). In this case, the baby will feel good at birth, and signs of infection - lethargy, pallor, decreased appetite, increased regurgitation, respiratory failure, etc. - may appear only after a while, but no later than on the third day of life.

The outcomes of intrauterine infection are different and again depend on the time when the infection occurred and on the specific pathogen. If a child falls ill long before birth, then the entire infectious process takes place in utero, the child can be born healthy, but with low body weight. But long-term consequences are also possible (especially for viral infections): for example, developmental disorders of any organs, tissues; various cysts of the brain, etc. If contact with the infection occurred shortly before childbirth, then the child can be born with the course of the infectious process in the form of pneumonia, enterocolitis, meningitis, etc.

Diagnosis of intrauterine infections difficult due to the lack of specific clinical manifestations. That is, almost all intrauterine infections in a child manifest themselves in the same way: intrauterine growth retardation, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, rash, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular failure and neurological disorders. For diagnosis during pregnancy and after the birth of a baby, they use the determination of specific antibodies to a particular pathogen, the search for the pathogen itself in the blood, urine or cerebrospinal fluid of the child and / or mother. Also, many conventional examination methods, such as a complete blood count, urine, biochemical blood test, ultrasound examination of the brain and internal organs, x-rays, help in making a diagnosis.

Treatment of intrauterine infections in newborns, it depends on the pathogen that caused the disease, and the manifestation of the disease. Antibacterial, antiviral, immunostimulating, general strengthening drugs are usually prescribed.

The most efficient is prevention of intrauterine infections. Even before the onset of pregnancy, it is worth being examined for some infections, since many of them can have a latent, sluggish course and appear only during pregnancy. If a woman has not had rubella, then when planning a pregnancy (at least 3 months in advance), it is advisable to be vaccinated against this infection, since rubella infection in the early stages can lead to serious malformations in the child. In addition, it is advisable for the expectant mother to follow certain sanitary and hygienic rules: exclude contact with sick relatives, examine pets (cats for the presence of toxoplasmosis), and also be examined and treated in a timely manner if they are carriers of any infections. It is worth paying attention to nutrition: avoid fast food, eat well-done meat and fish and not get carried away with exotic cuisine - these simple measures are an excellent prevention of toxoplasmosis and listeriosis.

In this article, we will analyze the main infectious diseases in newborns: how to diagnose, prevent and treat.

Often these diseases occur due to weakened immunity at birth. In premature babies, the immune system is not fully formed, increased permeability of the skin and mucous membranes.

Often children get sick due to hospital infections, unsanitary conditions in the maternity hospital, infection from hospital staff, from other children in the general ward (when the infection is transmitted through the air).

Vesiculopustulosis

The disease is characterized by purulent inflammation on the skin of the child. Small blisters (vesicles) filled with a cloudy liquid appear on the body.

They burst after a few days, and scabs form in their place. Later they fall off, leaving no marks on the skin.

As a rule, such a disease is not dangerous and does not cause complications.

Small blisters (up to 1 cm in diameter) appear on the baby's skin, filled with pus and gray liquid. Usually appear in the lower abdomen, near the navel, on the legs and arms.

The disease can go into a severe stage: large blisters up to 3 cm in diameter. There is an intoxication of the whole organism. Urgent medical intervention required!

The infection usually clears up in 2-3 weeks. May end in sepsis.

Treatment: pierce the bubbles and treat the puncture site with alcohol solutions of aniline dyes.

Pseudofurunculosis

The disease begins as an inflammation under the scalp and spreads further. After piercing the bubbles, pus is found.

Localization: on the head under the hairline, on the neck, back and buttocks.

The main symptoms: fever, mild intoxication, sepsis, high levels of leukocytes in the blood.

Mastitis

The main cause of the disease is the improper functioning of the mammary gland. In the early days, it may not appear.

The newborn has an enlarged mammary gland. And when pressed, pus is released from the nipples.

The child constantly cries, refuses to breastfeed, symptoms of intoxication of the body appear.

Mastitis is dangerous with subsequent purulent complications for the whole organism. Therefore, do not delay your visit to the doctor.

streptoderma

The infection usually appears in the navel, in the groin, on the thighs, on the face and spreads further.

This is a very serious disease: the temperature is up to 40 degrees, the child becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, meningitis, diarrhea.

The disease can be complicated by toxic shock. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Phlegmon

This disease is characterized by purulent inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue. At the most severe stage, necrotic phlegmon (tissue necrosis) is observed.

The inflammatory-purulent process takes place on the chest and buttocks, rarely on the arms and legs.

It is easy to determine the onset of the disease: a slight inflammation appears, painful to the touch. Gradually it grows. The skin becomes dark purple, then dies (becomes pale and or gray on the second and subsequent days of the infectious disease).

If you cut the inflamed area of ​​​​the skin, pus and dead tissue will be found inside.

Symptoms of the disease: intoxication of the body, temperature up to 39 degrees, vomiting, a lot of leukocytes in the blood (leukocytosis).

With timely and proper treatment, it is usually possible to prevent the spread of infection, necrosis and skin rejection.

Omphalitis

This is an inflammation of the skin in the navel, may be with pus.

The disease is not dangerous for the health of the baby. Moms are advised to treat the wound with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution 3 times a day. Then - a solution of potassium permanganate.

In case of illness in a newborn: the temperature rises, vomiting appears, regurgitation after feeding.

Conjunctivitis

The disease is characterized by inflammation of the lacrimal glands, swelling, sulfur from the eyes, constant tearing. May be complicated by deeper inflammation and ulcers.

Infection can occur in the hospital or from the mother.

Treatment: With a separate cotton swab for the right and left eyes, carefully remove the purulent discharge. Rinse several times a day with antibiotic solution. After washing, put eye ointment (penicillin).

Acute rhinitis

The disease is characterized by inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Pus starts to come out of the nose.

Subsequently, swelling of the nasal mucosa is possible. The child's breathing is difficult. The baby cannot breastfeed (cannot breathe through the nose), constantly cries, loses weight.

If the inflammation is not treated, it can spread to the middle ear, throat.

Treatment: suck out suppuration with suction. You can use sterile swabs with vaseline oil. Drip a solution of antibacterial drugs into the nose and insert gauze swabs (soaked in the solution) into each nostril for several minutes.

In the acute course of the disease, the doctor may prescribe antibiotic injections.

Acute otitis media

The disease is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the middle ear cavity.

Otitis can be purulent or serous. With serous otitis media, edematous fluid accumulates in the eardrum. With purulent otitis in the eardrum, severe swelling and suppuration.

It is not always possible to detect the disease, it proceeds secretly. The following can be distinguished infection symptoms:

If you find an infection, go to an appointment with an otolaryngologist. He will prescribe dry heat and UHF to the child.

Pneumonia

This is the most common infectious disease in newborns. It is characterized by inflammation of the tissues of the lungs. The baby can get sick in the womb or in the hospital.

In premature babies, inflammation takes a long time and can develop into purulent + necrosis of lung tissues.

The first symptoms of the disease:

Treatment:

Enterocolitis

An infectious disease characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small and large intestine. The work of the intestine is disturbed. The main pathogens: E. coli, salmonella, staphylococcus aureus.

Symptoms of the disease:

Treatment: proper nutrition and hydration therapy. The doctor may prescribe antibacterial drugs, therapy with large doses of bifidumbacterin and bactisubtil (normalize the normal functioning of the intestine).

Sepsis

A very dangerous infectious disease. Inflammation occurs due to the penetration of infection into the blood against the background of reduced immunity. Often the infection penetrates through the navel, damaged areas of the skin, wounds, mucous membranes, eyes.

After infection, a slight inflammation first appears at the site of penetration, then spreads to neighboring areas of the skin.

Purulent areas form on the skin, intoxication of the body occurs. Purulent metastases to the brain (meningitis), liver and lungs are possible.

Main symptoms:

Duration of sepsis in children:

Mortality among newborns with sepsis is 30-40%!

Sepsis treatment appoints the attending physician and conducts it under strict control. Typically, children are prescribed the following procedures:

At the beginning of treatment, drugs of general action are prescribed, then, according to the results of the impact on the flora, specific ones. For prolonged sepsis, use metronidazole. Simultaneously with antibiotics, you can give lactobacterin 3 times a day, vitamins.

Prevention of sepsis consists in strict observance of sanitary and epidemiological standards in hospitals and at home. Remember, newborns are most prone to infections, the risk of infectious diseases is very high. In premature babies, a weakened immune system is also added to this.

Attention! The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only. Do not self-medicate your child. Seek help from a specialist.

Intrauterine infections Localized and generalized purulent infection: causes and epidemiology Omphalitis, pyoderma, mastitis, conjunctivitis: clinical picture Treatment of localized purulent diseases Newborn sepsis: etiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis

Intrauterine infections

Intrauterine infections of newborns(IUI) are infectious diseases in which pathogens from an infected mother penetrate to the fetus during pregnancy or childbirth.

In newborns, IUI manifests itself in the form of severe lesions of the central nervous system, heart, and organs of vision.

Important in the development of the disease are the time of infection of a pregnant woman, as well as the type and virulence of the pathogen, the massiveness of infection, the route of penetration of the pathogen, the nature of the course of pregnancy.

Maternal infection occurs from toxoplasma-infected feline domestic animals and birds (cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, rabbits, chickens, turkeys), wild animals (hares, squirrels). Transmission mechanism - fecal-oral through unwashed hands after contact with soil contaminated with animal feces, consumption of unpasteurized milk, raw or undercooked meat; hematogenous - during transfusion of infected blood products. A person infected with toxoplasmosis for others not dangerous.

Infection from mother to fetus is transmitted through the placenta only once in a lifetime, if she first became infected during this pregnancy. In a subsequent pregnancy or in the case of an illness before pregnancy, the fetus is not infected. This is due to the fact that a high immunological activity to this pathogen has already been formed in the mother's body.

Infection of the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy leads to miscarriages, stillbirths and severe organ damage. When infected in the third trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is less likely to become infected, the disease manifests itself in a milder form. Toxoplasmosis can be asymptomatic for a long time and can be detected in older children, even at 4-14 years old.

There are acute, subacute and chronic phases of the disease. The clinical symptoms of an infectious disease are diverse and not always specific. For acute phase(generalization stage) is characterized by a general serious condition, fever, jaundice, enlarged liver and spleen, maculopapular rash. Possible dyspeptic disorders, interstitial pneumonia, myocarditis, intrauterine growth retardation. For damage to the nervous system, lethargy, drowsiness, nystagmus, strabismus are characteristic. The fetus is infected shortly before the birth of the child, and a severe infection that began in utero continues after birth.

AT subacute phase(stage of active encephalitis) a child is born with symptoms of CNS damage - vomiting, convulsions, tremor, paralysis and paresis, progressive micro-, hydrocephalus are detected; there are changes in the eyes - clouding of the vitreous body, chorioretinitis, iridocyclitis, nystagmus, strabismus.

AT chronic phase there are irreversible changes in the central nervous system and eyes - micro-, hydrocephalus, calcifications in the brain, mental retardation, speech and physical development, epilepsy, hearing loss, optic nerve atrophy, microphthalmia, chorioretinitis. Infection of the fetus occurs in the early stages, the child is born with manifestations of chronic toxoplasmosis.

Treatment. AT treatment with pyrimamine preparations (chloridin, daraprim, tindurin) in combination with sulfonamides ( bactrim, sulfadimezin). Use of combination drugs fansidar or metakelfin. Effective spiramycin (rovamycin), sumamed, rulid. With an active inflammatory process, corticosteroids are indicated. Multivitamins are required.

For the prevention of toxoplasmosis, it is important to carry out sanitary and educational work among women of childbearing age, to identify infected people among pregnant women (screening test at the beginning and end of pregnancy), to prevent contact of pregnant women with cats and other animals;

wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat. Identified infected women in the first half of pregnancy are treated spiramycin or terminate the pregnancy.

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection. The causative agent of the disease belongs to DNA viruses from the herpes family. The disease is characterized by damage to the salivary glands, central nervous system and other organs with the formation of giant cells in their tissues with large intranuclear inclusions.

The source of infection is only a person (sick or virus carrier). From the infected organism, the virus is excreted with urine, saliva, secrets, blood, less often with feces. Isolation of the virus in the urine can take several years. The transmission mechanism is predominantly contact, less often airborne, enteral and sexual.

The source of infection of newborns are mothers-carriers of the cytomegalovirus. Viruses penetrate to the fetus through the placenta, ascending or during childbirth, to the newborn - with infected milk, with infected blood transfusion. Infection during childbirth occurs by aspiration or ingestion of infected amniotic fluid, secrets of the mother's birth canal.

Signs of the disease in pregnant women may be absent O asymptomatic form). If a latent infection is activated in a pregnant woman, then less intense infection of the placenta is observed. Due to the presence of specific antibodies of the IgG class in the mother, less pronounced damage to the fetus is also noted.

The defeat of the fetus in the early stages of pregnancy leads to miscarriages, stillbirths. A child is born with malformations of the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, kidneys, lungs, thymus, adrenal glands, spleen, and intestines. Organ damage is fibrocystic in nature - cirrhosis of the liver, atresia of the biliary tract, cystosis of the kidneys and lungs, cystic fibrosis. Viremia and release of the virus into the external environment are not observed, since it is in a latent state.

If infection occurs shortly before birth, during childbirth, the child is born with generalized form disease or it develops shortly after birth. It is characterized by clinical symptoms from the first hours or days of life, involvement in the process of many organs and systems: low birth weight, progressive jaundice, enlarged liver and spleen, hemorrhages - petechiae, sometimes resembling a "blueberry pie" on the skin, melena, hemolytic anemia, meningoencephalitis, and small cerebral calcifications around the ventricles. Chorioretinitis, cataract, optic neuritis are detected. When the lungs are affected in children, persistent cough, shortness of breath and other signs of interstitial pneumonia are observed.

Localized form develops against the background of an isolated lesion of the salivary glands or lungs, liver, central nervous system.

Diagnostics. Laboratory diagnosis is based on the results of cytological, virological and serological studies. The virus is isolated in urine sediment, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid. Serological methods - RSK, PH, RPGA - confirm the diagnosis. Apply ELISA, PCR and DNK-hybridization.

Treatment. When treating, you should make sure that there are no pathogens in the mother's milk. A specific anti-cytomegalovirus 10% solution of immunoglobulin is used - cytotect, sandoglobulin(IgG). Use pentaglobin - IgM, TRC, antivirals (cytosine arabinoside, adenine arabinoside, iododesoxyuridine, ganciclovir, foscarnet). Posindromic and symptomatic therapy is carried out.

It is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene when caring for newborns with jaundice and toxic-septic diseases. All pregnant women are examined for the presence of cytomegaly.