Immunoenhancement to prevent nosocomial coagulase-negative staphylococcal sepsis in very low-birth-weight infants.
Extremely low-birth-weight infants are susceptible to invasion by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS). This article reviews the epidemiology, immunology, and microbiology of CONS and describes recent clinical trials of immunoenhancing agents such as intravenous immunoglobulin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and mouse humanized chimeric anti-lipoteichoic acid antibody. Potential avenues of research to reduce the incidence of nosocomial CONS sepsis in premature neonates are presented.
Devlin
Lori A
LA
Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 571 S. Floyd St., Suite 300, Louisville, KY 40202-3830, USA.
Lassiter
Herbert A
HA
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003030:Coagulase / Q000032:analysis*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D003030:Coagulase