Here's why babies are prone to sepsis after birth

Business Standard: Turns out, infants face high risks of short- and long-term complications, including sepsis, severe inflammation of the gut, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen demonstrated a link between prenatal inflammation and postnatal immune status and organ function in preterm pigs, suggesting that early intervention (eg, antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs) may be warranted for infants born preterm with signs of inflammation of fetal membranes. HealthNews

Intra-amniotic inflammation caused by short-term prenatal endotoxin exposure leads first to acute fetal lung and gut immune responses, followed by systemic inflammation after birth.

"Our study may urge clinicians to be more aware of the population of preterm infants with chorioamnionitis (inflammation of the fetal membrane) as they have higher risks of systemic inflammation and neonatal sepsis," explained lead researcher Per T. Sangild.

"The data imply the importance of the integrity of barriers between epithelial tissues (eg, gut, lungs, and skin) and the circulation. Those barriers are more fragile in preterm neonates, and they can facilitate translocation of bacteria and inflammatory molecules, leading to systemic inflammation and internal organ disorders," he added.BS