neonatal sepsis

Discovery of four-gene signature helps predict neonatal sepsis

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Content warning: mentions of fatal infection. Neonatal sepsis (NS) is a deadly condition for newborn babies within the first 28 days of life. As the body cannot properly respond to infections caused by common bacteria like “E. coli, Listeria, and Group B streptococcus,” as well as “viruses, fungi, and parasites,” infants can develop NS. The condition leads to “an estimated 200,000 deaths worldwide each year, with the highest rates in lower- and middle-income countries.”  Early-onset sepsis, occurring in the baby’s first three to seven days of life, is generally caused by perinatal risk factors. Perinatal…

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