title: New possibilities of prevention of infection in the newborn.
abstract: Severe infections represent the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Strategies of proven effectiveness in reducing the incidence of infection in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) include hand hygiene practices and prevention of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections. In recent years, new strategies have been developed to prevent infections in NICU including prevention of neonatal sepsis with lactoferrin, the use of heparin for the prevention of CRBSIs, the judicious use of antibiotics and chemoprophylaxis, prevention of invasive fungal infections with fluconazole, the use of specific anti-staphylococcal immunoglobulins, and the early identification of infants at higher risk of infection with the use of specific markers (mannose-binding lectin). This review will focus on these new strategies and on their role in clinical practice in order to further reduce the incidence of infection in NICU.
authors.affiliation: Neonatology, Neonatal Pathology and NICU, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy. alessandroborghesi@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghesi
authors.forename: Chryssoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tzialla
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Decembrino
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manzoni
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stronati
mesh_terms: D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D013209:Staphylococcal Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D013209:Staphylococcal Vaccines; D006493:Heparin; D007781:Lactoferrin