Newborn Infection
Most newborn babies born in healthy condition, but some infants may experience circumstances that require investigation. Newborns are vulnerable to several diseases than children or adults. The immune system is not yet fully formed body to fight bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Infection in newborns can give similar symptoms. Contact your pediatrician if your baby shows signs of infection:
- Lazy drink
- Difficulty breathing
- Weak, inactive
- The body temperature increases or decreases
- Unusual skin rash or skin discoloration
- Tears of the settled
- Unusually fussy
These signs of concern if a baby younger than 2 months. To determine whether your baby is healthy you should consult with your doctor.
Disease due to group B Streptococcus (GBS)
Group B Streptococcus is a common bacteria that can cause various infections in newborn infants, namely sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. Babies usually get the bacteria from the mother during birth, many pregnant women carry the bacteria in the rectum or vagina. My mother can transmit the bacteria to their babies if they are not treated with antibiotics.
How to diagnose and treat?
To diagnose GBS doctor will perform blood tests and take cultures of blood, urine, and if necessary the central nervous fluid (lumbar puncture). Infections due to GBS were treated with antibiotics and hospital care.
E. Coli Infections
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is another bacterium as a cause of infection in newborns and can cause urinary tract infections, sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia. Each person carries E. coli in the body and the baby can be infected in the birth process when the baby through the birth canal or in contact with the bacteria in the hospital or home. Newborns who become ill from E. coli infection have immune systems are immature, so they are vulnerable to illness.
Just like other bacterial infections, the symptoms will depend on the type of infection arising from E.coli infection. The common symptoms are fever, irritability, weak, lazy drunk.
How to diagnose and treat?
The doctor will diagnose E. coli infection by blood culture, urine culture or central nervous fluid and treat the infection with antibiotics
Meningitis
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and central nervous system. Can be caused by viruses, fungi and bacteria. Newborns can get it during the birth process or the environment, especially if the baby has a weakened immune system making them more vulnerable to infection.
Symptoms of infection in newborns are not specific and can be either continuous crying, irritability, sleep longer, unresponsive, lazy feeding, body temperature is low or unstable, yellow, pale, respiratory problems, redness in the skin, vomiting or diarrhea. When the more severe disease baby's crown to membonjol.
How is the diagnosis and treatment?
Meningitis, especially bacterial meningitis is a serious infection in newborns. If this is suspected, the doctor will perform a lumbar puncture (taking fluid from central nervous system), through a needle inserted in the spine.
Treatment of meningitis depends on the cause. Babies with meningitis due to fungi or bacteria will get antibiotics, be temporary because the virus will get antivirus. All infants with meningitis should be admitted in the hospital and received intensive monitoring.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a severe infection involving the spread of microbes throughout the body and tissues. Sepsis can be caused by viruses, parasites or bacteria. Some of the causes of these infections are acquired during the birth process or from the environment. As with meningitis, the symptoms of sepsis is also not specific and vary from child to one another. Symptoms such as low heart rate, respiratory disorders, yellow, hard drinking / eating, body temperature unstable, unresponsive or extraordinary fuss can be a sign of infection.
How is sepsis diagnosed and treated?
To diagnose or rule out the possibility of sepsis, the doctor will perform blood tests and central nervous fluid and other body fluids to look for bacteria or other microbes. Examination of sepsis and meningitis are no different. When the diagnosis of sepsis was established then the child will receive antibiotics during hospitalization.
Conjunctivitis
Some newborns have inflammation of the lining of the eyeball (conjunctiva), known as conjunctivitis, which gives a red eye symptoms and swelling in the eye and is generally accompanied by fluid / secretions from the eye. Bacteria and viruses can cause conjunctivitis in the newborn.
How is the diagnosis?
Physical examination and laboratory in secretions or fluid from the eye will help physicians determine the cause of infection. Antibiotic ointment or eye drops can be used to treat conjunctivitis in the newborn. These infections are easily spread, so doctors will recommend that the other children reduce contact with infants who have conjunctivitis. If severe conjunctivitis that occurred then hospitalization may be required.
Candidiasis
Excessive growth of the fungus candida, a fungus that is found in every person's body, can lead to infection candidiasis. In newborns are generally in the form of diaper rash (diaper rash), could also be thrush (oral thrush) in the mouth and throat. This infection causes sores in the corners of the mouth and white patches on the tongue, palate, lips and inner cheek. Newborns often get this fungus from the mother's vagina during delivery.
How is candidiasis diagnosed and treated?
The doctor will take a swab from one of the patches in the mouth and examine it in a microscope to look for signs of fungus. In most circumstances, this examination is not necessary and treatment can be started based on the appearance of abnormalities in oral form only. This infection can be treated with antifungal drugs.
Congenital infection
Many infections that affect newborns are transmitted from mother to baby either during pregnancy or childbirth. Because the baby is born with the infection, it is called congenital infection (congenital infections). Generally caused by viruses and parasites.
Congenital infection, including HIV (which causes AIDS), rubella, chicken pox, syphilis, herpes, toxoplasmosis, and cytomegalovirus (CMV).
If the mother is infected during pregnancy, the baby at risk for infection. But not all babies born to mothers who experienced these infections will get infected with the infection.
The risk of transmission of infection is also dependent on gestational age infants of mothers infected with microbes. Such as rubella and toxoplasmosis, the greatest risk of contracting the baby when mothers are infected in the first 3 months of pregnancy. If the mother is infected in the first 3 months then it can cause heart defects, brain damage, deafness, impaired vision, or abortion. Infection after the age of 3 months of pregnancy can cause disorders in infants who are not as heavy as during the first 3 months of infection but can still cause interference with the baby's growth.
Some signs of congenital infection include: large or small head circumference, small body size, seizures, disorders of the eyes, skin rash, yellow, enlarged abdominal organs and heart noise.
How is congenital infection was diagnosed and treated? If congenital infection is suspected, the doctor will perform blood tests and blood cultures and other body fluids from the baby and the mother when necessary to make the diagnosis. Management of either antiviral or antibiotics and intensive care for babies in hospitals. Congenital infection requires monitoring of the effects that arise as the growth of the baby.
Complications of newborn infections
Infections in newborns are not treated properly can lead to serious consequences. Organs and the baby's body is undergoing rapid development so any interruption in the growth process can interfere with growth, development, neurological disorders, respiratory, sensory.
With the immune system is immature, the baby is not ready to deal with infections, especially premature infants or infants with immune disorders. Proper diagnosis, optimal treatment and monitoring can provide the best chance for the baby to pass the infection.
Can infections in newborns be prevented?
Women can protect themselves and their babies:
- Immunization against rubella and chickenpox before becoming pregnant
- Washing and cooking food properly, washing hands (before, after preparing food, after using the toilet and after contact with body fluids and faeces)
- Safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
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