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[Pneumococci: a new microorganism in the newborn?]
C de Alba Romero1, J T Ramos Amador, E Gómez Del Castillo
1Servicio de Neonatología Hospital 12de Octubre, Madrid. calba@hdoc.insalud.es
Objective:
To study the clinical characteristics and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive infection in our neonatal unit.
Methods:
Data from newborns with Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive infection in the last 12 years were retrospectively collected.
Results:
Eight cases of invasive infection were identified. Gestational age ranged from 30 to 38 weeks (median: 34 weeks) and birth weight ranged from 1,680g to 4,460g (median: 2,480g). Risk factors related to infection were identified in 7 patients. Although infection manifested as shock in 4 patients and meningitis in 1, evolution was favorable in all patients. Penicillin resistance was found in 3 patients.
Conclusions:
Streptococcus pneumoniae produces serious disease in neonates. Because of the increasing prevalence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci, the relationship between the percentage of mothers colonized with pneumococci and neonatal infection should be determined to develop new prevention and treatment strategies in newborn infants.