Neonatal sepsis and neutrophil insufficiencies.
Sepsis has continuously been a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality despite current advances in chemotherapy and patient intensive care facilities. Neonates are at high risk for developing bacterial infections due to quantitative and qualitative insufficiencies of innate immunity, particularly granulocyte lineage development and response to infection. Although antibiotics remain the mainstay of treatment, adjuvant therapies enhancing immune function have shown promise in treating sepsis in neonates. This article reviews current strategies for the clinical management of neonatal sepsis and analyzes mechanisms underlying insufficiencies of neutrophil defense in neonates with emphasis on new directions for adjuvant therapy development.
Department of Physiology and Alcohol Research Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
John Nicholas
JN
Melvan
Gregory J
GJ
Bagby
David A
DA
Welsh
Steve
S
Nelson
Ping
P
Zhang
D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000517:prevention & control; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology