Rapid and multiplex detection of nosocomial pathogens on a phage-based magnetoresistive lab-on-chip platform.

Nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) have a major impact on mortality worldwide. Enterococcus and Staphylococcus are among the leading causes of HAIs and thus are important pathogens to control mainly due to their increased antibiotic resistance. The gold-standard diagnostic methods for HAIs are time-consuming, which hinders timely and adequate treatment. Therefore, the development of fast and accurate diagnostic tools is an urgent demand. In this study, we combined the sensitivity of magnetoresistive (MR) sensors, the portability of a lab-on-chip platform, and the specificity of phage receptor binding proteins (RBPs) as probes for the rapid and multiplex detection of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus. For this, bacterial cells were firstly labelled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with RBPs and then measured on the MR sensors. The results indicate that the RBP-MNPS provided a specific individual and simultaneous capture of more than 70% of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus cells. Moreover, high signals from the MR sensors were obtained for these samples, providing the detection of both pathogens at low concentrations (10 CFU/ml) in less than 2 h. Overall, the lab-on-chip MR platform herein presented holds great potential to be used as a point-of-care for the rapid, sensitive and specific multiplex diagnosis of bacterial infections.

Rare cause of jaundice in a term newborn.

Neonatal jaundice is a frequently observed occurrence in full-term newborns and typically manifests between 48 and 96 hours following birth. Early-onset jaundice is primarily induced by pathological factors, namely sepsis, hemolysis and an excessive accumulation of bilirubin resulting from the breakdown of red blood cells.We present a case involving a full-term newborn with an uneventful perinatal history, who exhibited jaundice within the initial day of life and was subsequently admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit to commence intensive phototherapy. Initial screenings for sepsis and blood group incompatibility yielded negative results. However, despite 6 hours of phototherapy, the bilirubin levels did not decrease, prompting an investigation into central nervous system haemorrhage, which uncovered the presence of a haemorrhagic stroke.After a worsening in neurological status with neonatal crisis and need for phenobarbital, a life-saving craniotomy was performed. Clinical evolution was good with no additional crisis detected after the early neonatal period and improvement in motor function at 2-month-old follow-up.

Morganella morganii: A Rare Cause of Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis.

Morganella morganii is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacillus commonly found in the human gastrointestinal tract and the environment. In adults, it is often associated with nosocomial infections, primarily surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, and hepatobiliary infections. It is a rare cause of early-onset neonatal sepsis, with fewer than 15 reported cases in the literature. The authors aim to present a case of a low birth weight preterm born at 28 weeks' gestation, who developed early-onset neonatal sepsis due to M. morganii. We successfully treated the infection using a combination of third-generation cephalosporin and aminoglycoside, and in this report, we explain the rationale behind employing this antibiotic therapy.

Haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn: do not miss a positive maternal antierythrocyte antibody screen.

Jaundice is one of the most common situations during the neonatal period. Alloimmune haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (AHDFN) is a major cause of pathological jaundice during the neonatal period. Since the establishment of anti-D prophylaxis, other antigens have gained greater clinical importance. The maternal antierythrocyte antibody screen is of great importance in monitoring pregnancy and in predicting the risk of AHDFN. A positive result should alert to the possibility of AHDFN and promote close surveillance of fetal anaemia, as well as neonatal anaemia and hyperbilirubinaemia. We describe a case of AHDFN due to incompatibility of the Rhesus c (Rhc) subgroup, diagnosed in pregnancy, but without effective transmission of information in the perinatal period, so a positive maternal antierythrocyte antibody screen was missed. This case highlights the importance of non-RhD antigens in this disease, but also the importance of a successful handoff of information in the delivery room.

Patent ductus arteriosus--neonatal intensive care unit registry.

OBJECTIVES: This study took place at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Dr Daniel de Matos Maternity Hospital and evaluated the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), the clinical evolution of the newborns affected, the treatment prescribed, and associated morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective medical chart review of newborns admitted to the NICU between January 2001 and December 2005. RESULTS: PDA was found in 69 newborns. Median gestational age (GA) was 28 weeks and birth weight (BW) 1100 grams. The diagnosis of PDA was established, on average, between the fifth and sixth day of life. Of the 53 newborns with criteria for closure, 49 had indomethacin therapy, with a success rate of 88%; surgical ligation was subsequently necessary in six of these. Thirty-eight newborns presented associated comorbidities, and eight died. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this study are in agreement with the literature. In cases with GA of less than 30 weeks and/or BW below 1500g, the need for treatment for PDA closure is greater than in cases with higher GA/BW, and a more aggressive approach is required, with presymptomatic prolonged indomethacin. The results obtained in this work led us to conclude that echocardiography should be performed to screen for PDA in all newborns of less than 30 weeks or with BW below 1500g. We intend in the near future to answer a question that emerged from this study: will earlier diagnosis lead to improved outcomes?

[Perinatal Outcome in Relation to Chorionicity in Twin Pregnancy]. / Impacto da Corionicidade nas Complicações Perinatais da Gestação Gemelar.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of multiple gestations is increasing worldwide and many studies have shown higher perinatal morbidity and mortality rates in monochorionic twins compared to dichorionic. The aim of this study was to assess the twin population born at a tertiary center and to evaluate the impact of chorionicity on perinatal outcomes of twin pregnancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of all twins born in a tertiary center from January 2004 to December 2013. RESULTS: In this period, 1051 twins were born, related to 540 gestations (26.7% monochorionic; 73.3% dichorionic). There was no statistical significant difference between the groups concerning obstetric complications. The monochorionic group had a higher incidence of intrauterine growth restriction (20.5 vs 11.3%, p < 0.001), lower mean maternal age (29.9 vs 31.9 years, p < 0.001), lower mean gestational age (33.4 vs 34.3 weeks, p < 0.05) and lower mean birth weight (1943 vs 2147 g, p < 0.001). Monochorionic twins had a higher incidence of hyaline membrane disease (7 vs 4%, p < 0.05), sepsis (10.3 vs 5.8%, p < 0.05) and anemia (9.5 vs 5.4%, p < 0.05). There were no statistical significant differences concerning necrotizing enterocolitis, intraperiventricular hemorrhage or retinopathy of prematurity. Perinatal mortality was higher in the monochorionic group (5.2 vs 2.9%, p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Monochorionic twins represent considerable challenges to both obstetricians and neonatologists and should be monitored and delivered at tertiary centers. CONCLUSION: Currently gemelarity has a major impact on total births. It would be interesting to develop protocols to standardize clinical approach to twins.

Introdução: A incidência da gestação múltipla tem vindo a aumentar em todo o mundo e vários estudos têm demonstrado taxas de morbilidade e mortalidade mais elevadas nos gémeos monocoriónicos comparativamente com os bicoriónicos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: caracterizar a população de gémeos fruto de gravidez bifetal nascidos num hospital nível três e avaliar o impacto da corionicidade na morbimortalidade perinatal.Material e Métodos: Estudo retrospetivo de todos os gémeos fruto de gravidez bifetal nascidos num hospital nível três entre janeiro de 2004 e dezembro de 2013.Resultados: Neste período nasceram 1051 gémeos, fruto de 540 gestações (26,7% monocoriónicos; 73,3% bicoriónicos). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os dois grupos no respeitante às complicações obstétricas. No grupo monocoriónico verificou-se uma incidência mais elevada de restrição do crescimento intra-uterino (20,5 vs 11,3%, p < 0,001), idade materna mais baixa (29,9 vs 31,9 anos, p < 0,001), idade gestacional mais baixa (33,4 vs 34,3 semanas, p < 0,05) e peso de nascimento mais baixo (1943 vs 2147 g, p < 0,001). Os gémeos monocoriónicos tiveram uma incidência mais elevada de doença de membrana hialina (7 vs 4%, p < 0,05), sépsis (10,3 vs 5,8%, p < 0,05) e anemia (9,5 vs 5,4%, p < 0,05). Não se encontrou diferença estatisticamente significativa relativamente à ocorrência de enterocolite necrotizante, hemorragia intraperiventricular ou retinopatia da prematuridade. A mortalidade perinatal foi mais elevada no grupo monocoriónico (5,2 vs 2,9%, p < 0,05).Discussão: Os gémeos monocoriónicos representam um desafio para obstetras e neonatologistas, devendo a vigilância pré-natal e o parto ser realizados em centros de referência.Conclusão: A gemelaridade tem atualmente um importante impacto nos nascimentos, pelo que seria interessante desenvolver protocolos que uniformizassem a prática clínica na abordagem a estes recém-nascidos.

Nonketotic hyperglycinemia: a cause of encephalopathy in children.

Nonketotic hyperglycinemia is a rare metabolic disorder with severe, frequently fatal, neurologic manifestations. Reliable and accurate diagnosis depends on careful interpretation of laboratory findings. The clinical suspicion should lead to determination of glycine in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Amino acid analysis presents diagnostic values for classic nonketotic hyperglycinemia, but it also should be performed in suspected cases of atypical nonketotic hyperglycinemia and in children with seizures, failure to thrive, behavior problems, and uncoordinated movements. Clinical assessment should be reinforced by demonstration of elevated cerebrospinal fluid-to-plasma glycine ratio. Confirmatory diagnosis requires enzymatic and genetic investigation of glycine cleavage system. An early diagnosis, though not affecting clinical outcome, allows proper genetic counseling, with the possibility of prenatal diagnosis. We report 3 cases of nonketotic hyperglycinemia, 2 typical neonatal and 1 atypical, diagnosed in Pediatric Hospital of Coimbra, Portugal, and investigated at Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics in 2004 to 2010 (incidence 1:47 455; prevalence 1:782 951).