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A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
08:46

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis

Published on: August 12, 2020

Human parechovirus-3 infection: emerging pathogen in neonatal sepsis

Rebecca E Levorson1, Barbara A Jantausch, Bernhard L Wiedermann

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. rlevorso@cnmc.org

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|June 2, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Human parechovirus-3 (HPeV-3) causes severe neonatal illness, including sepsis and meningoencephalitis. Standard enterovirus PCR tests miss this emerging pathogen, highlighting the need for specific diagnostics.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Human parechovirus-3 (HPeV-3) is an emerging viral pathogen.
  • HPeV-3 is related to enteroviruses but not detected by standard enteroviral PCR.
  • Neonatal sepsis is a significant concern in pediatrics.

Observation:

  • This study details clinical cases of HPeV-3 infection in neonates.
  • Observed conditions include meningoencephalitis and hepatitis-coagulopathy syndrome.
  • HPeV-3 presents a diagnostic challenge due to its distinction from enteroviruses.

Findings:

  • HPeV-3 is a causative agent of severe neonatal meningoencephalitis.
  • HPeV-3 infection can lead to a hepatitis-coagulopathy syndrome in newborns.
  • The distinctness of HPeV-3 necessitates specific diagnostic assays.

Implications:

  • Clinical awareness of HPeV-3 is crucial for prompt diagnosis and management of neonatal infections.
  • Development of specific HPeV-3 diagnostic tools is warranted.
  • Understanding HPeV-3 pathogenesis can inform treatment strategies for neonatal sepsis and related syndromes.

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