TY - JOUR
T1 - Nosocomial infection in the NICU
T2 - A medical complication or unavoidable problem?
AU - Clark, Reese
AU - Powers, Richard
AU - White, Robert
AU - Bloom, Barry
AU - Sanchez, Pablo
AU - Benjamin, Daniel K.
PY - 2004/6
Y1 - 2004/6
N2 - Nosocomial sepsis is a serious problem for neonates who are admitted for intensive care. As it is associated with increases in mortality, morbidity, and prolonged length of hospital stay, both the human and fiscal costs of these infections are high. Although the rate of nosocomial sepsis increases with the degree of both prematurity and low birth weight, no specific lab test has been shown to be very useful in improving our ability to predict who has a "real" blood-stream infection and, therefore, who needs to be treated with a full course of antibiotics. As a result, antibiotic use is double the rate of " proven" sepsis and we are facilitating the growth of resistant organisms in the neonatal intensive care unit. The purpose of this article is to review the topic of nosocomial infections in neonates.
AB - Nosocomial sepsis is a serious problem for neonates who are admitted for intensive care. As it is associated with increases in mortality, morbidity, and prolonged length of hospital stay, both the human and fiscal costs of these infections are high. Although the rate of nosocomial sepsis increases with the degree of both prematurity and low birth weight, no specific lab test has been shown to be very useful in improving our ability to predict who has a "real" blood-stream infection and, therefore, who needs to be treated with a full course of antibiotics. As a result, antibiotic use is double the rate of " proven" sepsis and we are facilitating the growth of resistant organisms in the neonatal intensive care unit. The purpose of this article is to review the topic of nosocomial infections in neonates.
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U2 - 10.1038/sj.jp.7211120
DO - 10.1038/sj.jp.7211120
M3 - Review article
C2 - 15116140
AN - SCOPUS:3142684808
SN - 0743-8346
VL - 24
SP - 382
EP - 388
JO - Journal of Perinatology
JF - Journal of Perinatology
IS - 6
ER -