Neonates Born to Mothers With COVID-19: Data From the Spanish Society of Neonatology Registry.

OBJECTIVES: To describe neonatal and maternal characteristics of the largest prospective cohort of newborns from mothers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the data of which were prospectively collected from the nationwide registry of the Spanish Society of Neonatology. METHODS: Between March 8, 2020, and May 26, 2020, the data of 503 neonates born to 497 mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy or at the time of delivery were collected by 79 hospitals throughout Spain. RESULTS: Maternal symptoms were similar to that of the general population, with 5% of severe forms. In 45.8% of asymptomatic women at the time of delivery, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection was detected because of recommendations established in Spain to perform COVID-19 screening in all women admitted to the hospital for labor. The rate of preterm deliveries was 15.7% and of cesarean deliveries, 33%. The most common diagnostic test was detection of viral RNA by polymerase chain reaction of nasopharyngeal swabs at a median age of 3 hours after delivery (1-12 hours). Almost one-half of neonates were left skin-to-skin after delivery, and delayed clamping of umbilical cords was performed in 43% of neonates. Also, 62.3% of asymptomatic neonates were managed with rooming-in. Maternal milk was received by 76.5% of neonates, 204 of them as exclusive breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: The current study indicates that there is no need for separation of mothers from neonates, allowing delayed cord clamping and skin-to-skin contact along with maintenance of breastfeeding in a high percentage of newborns from mothers with COVID-19.

The Spanish National Network "Grupo Castrillo": 22 Years of Nationwide Neonatal Infection Surveillance.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of vertically transmitted sepsis (VS) and nosocomial sepsis (NOS) in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates (birth weight ≤ 1,500 g) over the past 22 years in Spain. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected VS and NOS in neonates from 1996 to 2018 in the 44 neonatal units integrated in the Spanish Neonatal Network Grupo Castrillo. RESULTS: A total of 2,676 episodes of VS were recorded in 2,196,129 live births (LBs; 1.2/1,000 LBs) over the study period (1996-2018). The incidence declined from 2.4 to 1 to 1.2/1,000 LBs (p < 0.0001). Of the 2,676 episodes, 95.7% were early onset (≤72 hours) and 4.3% cases late onset VS. Group B streptococcus (GBS) (33.1%) and E. coli (29.3%) were the most frequently isolated pathogen. The GBS incidence declined significantly from 1.25 to 0.21/1,000 LBs (p < 0.0001). E. coli incidence showed a significant increase trend in VLBW infants (p < 0.05). The global mortality per 1000 LBs decreased from 0.21 to 0.13/1,000. A total of 7,036 episodes of NOS involving 5,493 VLBW infants were registered over 20,935 neonatal admissions (NAs) in the study period (2006-2018). The incidence was 26.2 per 100 NAs. The median postnatal age at onset was 13 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 9-23 days). Around 80% of cases occurred in infants with a central line in place. Gram positive (GP) bacteria accounted for 66.2% with Staphylococcus epidermidis as the most frequently isolated pathogen, gram negative (GN) bacteria entailed 27.4%, and fungi 6.2%. Klebsiella sp. was the most common GN isolated and Candida albicans the most prevalent fungus. The overall mortality was 8.3%. CONCLUSION: The causative pathogen of neonatal sepsis may change over time and between countries, therefore a national surveillance network based on a consensus definition could be essential to provide accurate information. KEY POINTS: · Grupo Castrillo is a Spanish network for neonatal infections surveillance.. · A neonatal sepsis definition based on epidemilogical and not only chronological criteria was established.. · Epidemiology of neonatal sepsis may change over time; therefore, a national surveillance network is essential to provide accurate information..

[Neurological sequelae in patients with congenital cytomegalovirus]. / Secuelas neurológicas en pacientes con infección congénita por citomegalovirus.

INTRODUCTION: The infection due to cytomegalovirus is the most common congenital infection in developed countries, and on of the main causes of psychomotor impairment and neurosensory hearing loss of infectious origin. The present study has its objectives to describe the clinical-analytical and neuroimaging of patients with secondary neurological sequelae secondary to the congenital cytomegalovirus infection and then compare them with the group of patients with a congenital cytomegalovirus infection that did not have neurological symptoms during their follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational, cohort study was conducted that included all the cases of congenital cytomegalovirus infection from 2003 until 2018 and the short-medium term neurological sequelae were evaluated. Prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal data of patients with neurological sequelae were compared against those that did not present with any. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients with congenital cytomegalovirus infection were recorded during the study period, with 65% having neurological involvement during their follow-up period (62.2% with psychomotor impairment, 61.5% with microcephaly, 46.2% loss of hearing, 27.8% motor disorders, 20.5% epilepsy, and 5.6% with chorioretinitis). In the patient group that had sequelae, the presence of clinical symptoms during the neonatal period, as well as changes in the neuroimaging study, were the most common, with both being statistically significant compared to the asymptomatic group. The patients with neurological involvement also had a higher score on the Noyola et al. neuroimaging scale. CONCLUSIONS: The symptoms at birth, and certain findings in the neuroimaging, like the changes in the white matter or neuronal migration disorders, could predict neurocognitive sequelae in patients with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.