Preparing for Group B Streptococcus vaccine. Attitudes of pregnant women in two countries.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) vaccines, designed to be given to pregnant women, are in clinical trials. There is an opportunity to conduct preparatory research now to understand the drivers of and barriers to GBS vaccine acceptance. This will enable targeted interventions so that delays in vaccine uptake might be avoided. A multicenter, mixed-methodology, cross-sectional study evaluated the acceptability of a hypothetical GBS vaccine among pregnant women in two countries with differing health systems. Pregnant women in Philadelphia, US, and Dublin, Ireland, completed an electronic survey and a Discrete Choice Experiment. Five hundred and two women were included in the final analysis. Fifty-three percent of US and 30% of Irish participants reported both awareness and understanding of GBS. The median likelihood score for vaccine receipt (measured on a 10-point scale) was 9 (US: 9 (IQR 7-10), IRL: 9 (IQR 6-10)). Among the US participants, identifying as Black or African American was associated with a lower likelihood of vaccine receipt. Possession of a college degree was associated with increased likelihood of vaccine receipt. Perceived infant benefit was the most important driver of GBS vaccine acceptance. Safety concerns about a novel vaccine was the most prominent barrier identified. Good GBS vaccine uptake is achievable through strong messaging that highlights vaccine safety and the potential infant benefits. Preparation for vaccine implementation should include efforts to increase awareness among pregnant women about GBS infection and a continued focus on improving acceptability of currently recommended maternal vaccines, particularly in population subgroups with low uptake of maternal immunizations.

Covid-period-associated changes in organism profile of neonatal sepsis in a tertiary center from East India.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality with a higher burden from the low- and middle-income countries. The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid 19) pandemic has impacted healthcare in various ways including healthcare-associated infections (HAI). The objective of the present study was to determine changes in organism profile and incidence rates of HAI in neonates admitted to the index hospital during the pandemic and compared it with the data from the pre-pandemic period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a retrospective, observational analysis of data from neonates with culture-positive sepsis, in a tertiary care children's hospital, between January 2018 and December 2021. Pre-Covid (January 2018 to December 2019) and Covid period data (January 2020 to December 2021) were analyzed for the significance of change. RESULTS: The prevalence of culture-positive sepsis, in pre-Covid and Covid periods, was 19.55% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 17.13-21.52)] and 18.36% (CI 16.05-20.74), respectively. HAI rates/1000 patient days increased slightly during the Covid pandemic [7.2% (95% CI 6.98-10.08) to 9.8% (95% CI 9.78-13.67)] mainly due to an increase in fungal HAI (26% pre- vs. 41.5% Covid period). However, the proportion of Gram-negative (GN) infections fell significantly (70.5% vs. 48.6%) during the same period. In the pre-Covid period, Klebsiella followed by Burkholderia cepacia, Acinetobacter spp and Pseudomonas, were the major HAI isolates. During the Covid period, there was a decline in these isolates and Burkholderia spp was not detected. All fungal isolates were Candida species. The case fatality ratio (CFR) from HAI decreased significantly from 38% to 15.45%, mainly due to a decrease in GN HAI. CONCLUSION: During Covid pandemic, there was a significant decline in GN HAI and CFR from HAI, due to improved compliance with infection control measures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). At the same time, there was a rise in the fungal HAI, possibly because of a higher proportion of premature, and sick neonates with longer hospital stay and more invasive procedures. Consolidations of gains in infection control and restriction of invasive procedures could help to minimize HAI in NICUs.

Blood stream infections in children less than 4 weeks old are known as neonatal sepsis. Several predisposing factors can make a neonate (less than 4 weeks) more prone to sepsis, such as prematurity, male gender, cultural practices, presence of underlying medical or surgical conditions, hospitalization, antibiotic use and invasive treatment. Neonatal sepsis in a hospitalized child can be either­pre-harbored infection (PHI), which means infection acquired prior to hospital admission or it could be healthcare-associated infection (HAI), where the infection is acquired during the hospital stay. Organisms causing neonatal sepsis in hospitalized neonates include bacteria and fungi. The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid 19) pandemic impacted all aspects of life including healthcare. The investigators conducted the present study to look into the changes in the incidence rate as well as in the type of organisms causing healthcare-associated blood stream infections in neonates in the pre-Covid and during the Covid period.

Neonatal late-onset sepsis caused by SARSCoV2: a case report

INTRODUCTION: The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, is a recently identified disease with mainly respiratory involvement in adults. Reported Latin- American cases of COVID-19 in neonates are scarce. Clinical manifestations are unspecific in this age, with respiratory involvement around 40%. CLINICAL CASE: We report a hospitalized patient at the neonatal intensive care unit due to meconium aspiration and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy sequelae, in whom is diagnosed COVID-19 at 18 days of life. He presented fever and late onset neonatal sepsis and was considered as an acquired-hospital infection. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this report is to contribute to the clinical description of this entity and highlight the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the differential diagnosis in late onset neonatal sepsis, even in hospitalized patients, to detect and contain opportunely this disease. © 2023 Instituto Nacional de Pediatria. All rights reserved.

Using the Implementation Research Logic Model to design and implement community-based management of possible serious bacterial infection during COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Community-based treatment of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) in young infants, when referral to a hospital is not possible, can result in high treatment coverage and low case fatality. However, in Ethiopia, the coverage of PSBI treatment remains low, worsened by COVID-19. To understand the challenges of delivery of PSBI treatment and design and test adaptative strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on neonatal mortality, we did implementation research (IR) employing Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM). In this paper, we describe IRLM application experiences in designing, implementing, and evaluating strategies to improve community-based treatment of PSBI during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia. METHODS: This IR was conducted between November 2020-April 2022 at Dembecha and Lume woredas of Amhara and Oromia regions, respectively. We employed narrative reviews, formative assessment and facilitated stakeholder engagement to develop the PSBI treatment IRLM to identify barriers, understand the conceptual linkages among determinants, choose implementation strategies, elicit mechanisms, and link to implementation outcomes. In addition, we used the IRLM to structure the capture of emerging implementation challenges and resulting strategy adaptations throughout implementation. RESULTS: This IR identified COVID-19 and multiple pre-existing contextual factors. We designed and implemented implementation strategies to address these challenges. These adaptive strategies were implemented with sufficient strength to maintain the delivery of PSBI services and improve mothers' care-seeking behavior for their sick young infants. The IRLM offers us a clear process and path to prioritize implementation challenges, choose strategies informed by mechanisms of action, and where the adaptive implementation of community-based management of PSBI would lead to high-implementation fidelity and change in mother behavior to seek care for their sick young infants. The IRLM was also an effective tool for stakeholder engagement, easily explained and used to structure discussion and decision-making during co-design meetings. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the IRLM helps us to specify the conceptual links between the implementation challenges, strategies, mechanisms of action, and outcomes to explore the complex community-based management of PSBI during complex contexts to improve high-fidelity implementation and integration of PSBI treatment in the primary healthcare delivery systems through active engagement of stakeholders.

Mortality Risk Factors of Early Neonatal Sepsis During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine predisposing factors for negative outcome in infants with early neonatal sepsis during COVID-19. Patients and Methods: A prospective cohort study of 172 newborns up to 4 days diagnosed with neonatal sepsis was carried out in Karaganda (Kazakhstan). The microbiological examination was used to identify a causative agent of bloodstream infection. ELISA was performed to determine the total anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Gestational age, mode of delivery, birth weight, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels, comorbidities, type of pathogen, duration of hospitalization and mother's infection diseases were used for statistical analysis. Results: Mortality in infants with neonatal sepsis was 22% (38/172). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 68.3% of the newborns. Culture-negative ELBW infants have a 5.3-fold higher risk of death (p<0.001). Low gestational age and a shorter period of hospitalization were statistically associated with fatality. CRP is generally higher in deceased children (p=0.002). Necrotizing enterocolitis (p<0.001), pneumonia (p=0.009) and anemia (p=0.016) were significantly associated with negative outcome. And, 31.4% of the infants with sepsis had positive blood cultures. The leading cause of sepsis in newborns was CoNS - 57%. Conclusion: During COVID-19 pandemic neonatal sepsis mortality was associated with low birth weight, gestational age, and comorbidities as in non-pandemic time. The relationship between COVID-19 in the mother and neonatal mortality was not found. However, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in more than half of newborns.

Let's Not Miss the Treatable Ones: Two Cases of Neonatal Sepsis Due to Malaria.

Congenital malaria is the direct infection of an infant with a malarial parasite from the mother either during pregnancy or at birth. Neonatal malaria occurs due to an infective mosquito bite after birth. Neonatal and congenital malaria (NCM) can occasionally present with life-threatening neonatal sepsis and rarely with neonatal jaundice. These conditions are typically managed by general pediatricians, especially in remote areas without access to specialized care. A high clinical index of suspicion is required to diagnose neonatal and congenital malaria, given that their presentation can mimic other more common neonatal conditions. We present two neonates with malaria, highlighting the importance of considering this treatable entity in the differential.

Cytomegalovirus infections in infants in Uganda: Newborn-mother pairs, neonates with sepsis, and infants with hydrocephalus.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections among newborn-mother pairs, neonates with sepsis, and infants with hydrocephalus in Uganda. DESIGN AND METHODS: Three populations-newborn-mother pairs, neonates with sepsis, and infants (≤3 months) with nonpostinfectious (NPIH) or postinfectious (PIH) hydrocephalus-were evaluated for CMV infection at 3 medical centers in Uganda. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to characterize the prevalence of CMV. RESULTS: The overall CMV prevalence in 2498 samples across all groups was 9%. In newborn-mother pairs, there was a 3% prevalence of cord blood CMV positivity and 33% prevalence of maternal vaginal shedding. In neonates with clinical sepsis, there was a 2% CMV prevalence. Maternal HIV seropositivity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 25.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.43-134.26; p = 0.0001), residence in eastern Uganda (aOR 11.06; 95% CI 2.30-76.18; p = 0.003), maternal age <25 years (aOR 4.54; 95% CI 1.40-19.29; p = 0.02), and increasing neonatal age (aOR 1.08 for each day older; 95% CI 1.00-1.16; p = 0.05), were associated risk factors for CMV in neonates with clinical sepsis. We found a 2-fold higher maternal vaginal shedding in eastern (45%) vs western (22%) Uganda during parturition (n = 22/49 vs 11/50, the Fisher exact test; p = 0.02). In infants with PIH, the prevalence in blood was 24% and in infants with NPIH, it was 20%. CMV was present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 13% of infants with PIH compared with 0.5% of infants with NPIH (n = 26/205 vs 1/194, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that congenital and postnatal CMV prevalence is substantial in this African setting, and the long-term consequences are uncharacterized.

REAL-WORLD DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF PSP FOR INFECTION, SEPSIS, AND MORTALITY IN SEVERE COVID-19

B Conclusions: b In severe COVID-19 patients, high PSP concentration is associated with increased mortality and presence of sepsis and infection. B Introduction: b Early identification of bacterial sepsis in severe COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU is important to timely initiate antimicrobial therapy and appropriate care. PSP was measured daily by ICU staff until day 10 of ICU stay, ICU discharge or death, whichever came first, using a point-of-care platform (abioSCOPE SP TM sp , Abionic SA, Epalinges, Switzerland). [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Critical Care Medicine is the property of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Laboratory Effects of COVID-19 Infection in Pregnant Women and Their Newborns: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need for further research on its manifestation in pregnant women, since they are particularly prone to respiratory pathogens, like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), due to physiological changes during pregnancy. Its effects on infants born to mothers with COVID-19 are also not well-studied, and more evidence is needed on vertical transmission of the disease from mother to infant and on the transmission of IgG/IgM antibodies between mother and infant. We aim to systematically review and evaluate the effects of COVID-19 among SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant women in late pregnancy and neonates with SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant mothers using blood assays to find indicators of maternal and neonatal complications. We searched for original published articles in Google Scholar, Medline (PubMed), and Embase databases to identify articles in the English language from December 2019 to July 20, 2020. Duplicate entries were searched by their titles, authors, date of publication, and Digital Object Identifier. The selected studies were included based on patient pregnancy on admission, pregnant mothers with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 virus, maternal/neonatal complications, and blood test results. We excluded duplicate studies, articles where full text was not available, other languages than English, opinions, and perspectives. The meta-analysis using the Generalized Linear Mixed model was conducted using the "meta" and "metaprop" packages in R code. Of the 1,642 studies assessed for eligibility, 29 studies (375 mothers and neonates) were included. Preterm birth rate was 34.2%, and cesarean section rate was 82.7%. Maternal laboratory findings found elevated neutrophils (71.4%; 95% CI: 38.5-90.9), elevated CRP (67.7%; 95%: 50.6-81.1), and low hemoglobin (57.3%; 95% CI: 26.0-87.8). We found platelet count, lactate dehydrogenase, and procalcitonin to be less strongly correlated with preterm birth than between high neutrophil counts (P = 0.0007), low hemoglobin (P = 0.0188), and risk of preterm birth. There is little evidence for vertical transmission. Elevated procalcitonin levels (23.2%; 95% CI: 8.4-49.8) are observed in infants born to mothers with COVID-19, which could indicate risk for neonatal sepsis. These infants may gain passive immunity to COVID-19 through antibody transfer via placenta. These results can guide current obstetrical care during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Severe neonatal COVID-19: Challenges in management and therapeutic approach.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may manifest as a life-threatening respiratory infection with systemic complications. Clinical manifestations among children are generally less severe than those seen in adults, but critical cases have increasingly been reported in infants less than 1 year of age. We report a severe case of neonatal COVID-19 requiring intensive care and mechanical ventilation, further complicated by a multidrug-resistant Enterobacter asburiae super-infection. Chest X-rays, lung ultrasound, and chest computed tomography revealed extensive interstitial pneumonia with multiple consolidations, associated with persistent increased work of breathing and feeding difficulties. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in respiratory specimens and stools, but not in other biological samples, with a rapid clearance in stools. Serological tests demonstrated a specific SARS-CoV-2 antibody response mounted by the neonate and sustained over time. The therapeutic approach included the use of enoxaparin and steroids which may have contributed to the bacterial complication, underlying the challenges in managing neonatal COVID-19, where the balance between viral replication and immunomodulation maybe even more challenging than in older ages.

Development of an Immunochromatographic Strip Using Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles for the Rapid Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae Causing Neonatal Sepsis.

Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of death among newborns and infants, especially in the developing world. The problem is compounded by the delays in pinpointing the causative agent of the infection. This is reflected in increasing mortality associated with these cases and the spread of multi-drug-resistant bacteria. In this work, we deployed bioinformatics and proteomics analyses to determine a promising target that could be used for the identification of a major neonatal sepsis causative agent, Klebsiella pneumoniae. A 19 amino acid peptide from a hypothetical outer membrane was found to be very specific to the species, well conserved among its strains, surface exposed, and expressed in conditions simulating infection. Antibodies against the selected peptide were conjugated to gold nanoparticles and incorporated into an immunochromatographic strip. The developed strip was able to detect as low as 105 CFU/mL of K. pneumoniae. Regarding specificity, it showed negative results with both Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae. More importantly, in a pilot study using neonatal sepsis cases blood specimens, the developed strip selectively gave positive results within 20 min with those infected with K. pneumoniae without prior sample processing. However, it gave negative results in cases infected with other bacterial species.

Neonatal late-onset infection with SARS CoV-2 / [Sepsis neonatal tardía por SARS CoV-2].

During the SARS COV-2 pandemic, the vast majority of infected patients are showing symptoms related to lung damage. At pediatric ages, especially newborns, symptoms from other organ systems without respiratory illness could make COVID-19 hard to diagnose. We are reporting three cases of newborns who were attended in the course of the mitigation phase in the emergency service of a maternal hospital in Barranquilla, Colombia, for high temperature and general compromised condition. During their clinical course, they developed gastrointestinal symptoms without showing any respiratory manifestations. They were not epidemiologically linked to a contact suspected to be a COVID-19 case and their mothers had had no respiratory symptoms since the public health emergency in our country was declared 45 days before. The absence of clinical respiratory manifestations in this group of patients with COVID-19 should draw clinicians' attention to the need to suspect SARS CoV-2 infection in febrile newborns.

Durante la pandemia por SARS CoV-2 la gran mayoría de pacientes ha presentado afectación pulmonar como síntoma cardinal. En los niños, especialmente en recién nacidos, la sintomatología debida al efecto en otros sistemas diferentes al respiratorio puede dificultar el diagnóstico. Se reportan tres casos de recién nacidos atendidos durante la fase de mitigación de la pandemia por SARS CoV-2 en el servicio de urgencias de un hospital materno-infantil en Barranquilla, Colombia, por presentar cuadros febriles que afectaban su estado general. En su evolución clínica predominó la sintomatología gastrointestinal sin que desarrollaran nunca manifestaciones respiratorias. La investigación epidemiológica no evidenció contacto con casos sospechosos o positivos para COVID-19. Sus madres no habían tenido síntomas respiratorios en los 45 días transcurridos desde la declaración de la emergencia en salud pública en el país. La ausencia de manifestaciones clínicas respiratorias en este grupo de pacientes con COVID-19 debe llamar la atención de los clínicos sobre la necesidad de sospechar la infección por SARS CoV-2 en recién nacidos con estados febriles.

Perinatal COVID-19: review of current evidence and practical approach towards prevention and management.

The clinical spectrum of the perinatal COVID-19 and prospective data on neonatal outcomes remains largely unexplored. Most of the existing literature is in the form of case series or single-centre experience. In this review, we aim to summarize available literature on the clinical spectrum of COVID-19 in neonates and mothers and suggest a practical approach towards management of clinical scenarios. This review explores the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in neonates born to mothers who were detected with the virus during the pregnancy. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane Database of Systematic Review between November 2019 and June 2020 and screened articles related to perinatal COVID-19. This review included 786 mothers, among which 64% (504) were delivered by caesarian section. There were 3 still births and 107 (14%) were delivered preterm. Out of 793 neonates born, 629 neonates (79%) were tested after birth. The commonest symptom in neonates was respiratory distress. Respiratory support was needed in 60 neonates (7.6%), with 14 babies needing mechanical ventilation (1.8%), 25 needing non-invasive ventilation and 21 needing nasal oxygen. Only 35 of the 629 tested neonates (5.5%) were positive for COVID-19. Of the 35 positive neonates, 14 (40%) were symptomatic. The COVID-19 seems to have favourable neonatal outcomes. Majority of neonates are asymptomatic. Respiratory distress is the most common manifestation. What is known: •COVID-19 affects all ages. •Neonatal disease is usually mild. What is new: •Vertical transmission is a possible route of infection in neonates. •Breast milk and skin-to-skin contact are safe in COVID-19-infected mothers if performed with appropriate use of precautions such as hand and breast hygiene and masking.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Febrile Neonates.

Most severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in pediatric patients are mild or asymptomatic. However, infants have emerged at higher risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes in pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We report a case series of 4 full-term neonates hospitalized with fever and found to have SARS-CoV-2 infection with a spectrum of illness severities. Two neonates required admission to the intensive care unit for respiratory insufficiency and end organ involvement. Half of the patients were found to have a coinfection. One neonate received antiviral therapy with remdesivir and is, to our knowledge, the youngest patient to receive this drug for COVID-19. All neonates had favorable outcomes.