title: Perinatal infection: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
abstract: The majority of clinically recognizable acute infections in the neonate are bacterial. Such infections may be acquired from the mother prior to or at birth or from environmental sources. Because of the limited ability of neonates--especially those born prematurely--to express symptoms, even minor deviations from normal behavior should suggest bacterial disease. Chronic congenital and perinatal infections, unlike acute bacterial disease, are generally asymptomatic in mother and neonate and may remain latent or subclinically active in host tissue for prolonged periods, possibly causing insidious injury to the central nervous and perceptual systems. When overt, these infections almost invariably cause mental or perceptual handicaps or both. In view of the significant mortality and morbidity associated with either acute or chronic infections, diagnosis and treatment should be aggressive.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010401:Penicillin G Benzathine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013587:Syphilis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013411:Sulfadiazine; D002955:Leucovorin; D010401:Penicillin G Benzathine; D011739:Pyrimethamine