ABSTRACT
The term hemophagocytosis describes the pathologic finding of activated macrophages, engulfing erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets and their precursor cells. This phenomenon is an important finding in patients with hemophagocytic syndrome, more properly referred to as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). HLH is a distinct clinical entity characterized by fever, pancytopenia, splenomegaly and hemophagocytosis in bone marrow, liver or lymph nodes. It has been associated with a variety of viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, as well as collagen-vascular diseases and malignancies and is uniformly fatal if left untreated. We report Staphylococcal aureus-induced hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a 3-month-old girl presenting with respiratory distress, sepsis and multiorgan failure. This case report may at least in part guide pediatricians and other physicians to recognize this rare entity of infection triggering fatal HLH and thus proper treatment may be instituted in those affected with this disease at the earliest.
ABSTRACT
Neonatal sepsis is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The low birth weight and preterm babies are more vulnerable to it. It is diagnosed when generalized systemic features are associated with pure growth of bacteria from one or more sites. However, the signs of sepsis are nonspecific and the outcome of a neonate with sepsis depends on its early identification. So, this study is done to evaluate the role of various clinical signs in diagnosing late-onset sepsis, their statistical analysis and to develop a scoring system-based purely on clinical signs for early diagnosis and prompt institution of treatment.