Septicaemia in newborns and infants

In the lifespan of a human being the two extremes, the early childhood and old age are prone to septicaemia because of poorly functioning anti-infectious defensive mechanisms. In a newborn full term baby these mechanisms are all present but still unexperienced. The importance of both specific and nonspecific factors will be discussed. The etiologic agents, causing septicaemia in nurseries undergo continuous change. In Helsinki we have during the last 20 years experienced staphylococci to start with, changing then to Gram-negative rods, to streptococci group B and now we have increasing difficulties with hospital infections. In the treatment of these children antibiotics alone are not sufficient but repeated exchange transfusions and granulocyte transfusions are needed. In infants after the first month of life, septicaemias produce a clinical picture different from that in newborns but still different also from that in adults. Also in this age group a shift in etiology has been observed. Increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents in the bacteria encountered makes a reconsideration of therapeutic schemes necessary.