title: An Immunological Perspective on Neonatal Sepsis.
abstract: Despite concerted international efforts, mortality from neonatal infections remains unacceptably high in some areas of the world, particularly for premature infants. Recent developments in flow cytometry and next-generation sequencing technologies have led to major discoveries over the past few years, providing a more integrated understanding of the developing human immune system in the context of its microbial environment. We review these recent findings, focusing on how in human newborns incomplete maturation of the immune system before a full term of gestation impacts on their vulnerability to infection. We also discuss some of the clinical implications of this research in guiding the design of more-accurate age-adapted diagnostic and preventive strategies for neonatal sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Experimental Medicine Program, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.affiliation: Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Experimental Medicine Program, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Razzaghian
authors.affiliation: Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Experimental Medicine Program, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address: plavoie@cw.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Pascal M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lavoie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000276:immunology; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D051379:Mice; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D000071074:Neonatal Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment
keywords: fetal development; immunology; neonate; ontogeny; systems biology