Early-onset pneumococcal sepsis in newborn infants

R. Bortolussi, T. R. Thompson, P. Ferrieri

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

53 Scopus citations

Abstract

Five infants with pneumococcal sepsis presented with respiratory distress and clinical signs of infection in the first day of life. Although there was no apparent epidemiological relationship among the patients, four of the five were seen within a 12-month period. Pneumonia, prolonged rupture of fetal membranes, and prematurity were features in these patients. Three infants died, two within 12 hours of diagnosis. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from the vagina of three of the mothers; in two, the serotype was identical to that recovered from their infants. Clinical features of neonatal pneumococcal sepsis are similar to those of early-onset group B streptococcal infection. Like the group B Streptococcus, S. pneumoniae acquired from the maternal vagina is a potential life-threatening pathogen in the newborn period.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)352-355
Number of pages4
JournalPediatrics
Volume60
Issue number3
StatePublished - 1977

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