Prevalence of congenital cryptorchidism in Estonia.

BACKGROUND: Cryptorchidism is one of the most common urogenital malformations. Cryptorchidism prevalence varies greatly in different countries and populations. The aim of the current study was to determine and analyse cryptorchidism prevalence in Estonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 2012-2015, all consecutively born 5014 boys at Tartu University Hospital were examined for cryptorchidism. All the subjects with cryptorchidism were followed up for at least 6 months to assess spontaneous testicular descent. RESULTS: Note that 2.1% cases had one or both testicles undescended at birth, 1.6% cases at expected date of birth, 1% cases at 3 months of age, and 0.8% cases at the age of 6 months had cryptorchidism. Cryptorchidism prevalence at birth was higher in preterm boys (11.9%), boys of low birth weight (16.7%) and boys small for gestational age (14%) but was lower in full-term newborn boys (1.1%). During follow-up, testes descended spontaneously in 61.6% of boys, more commonly in prematurely born boys (92%) and boys with low gestational weight (93%) as compared to full-term cryptorchid boys (29.2%) and cryptorchid boys with normal birth weight (34%). At the age of 6 months, cryptorchidism prevalence was equalized in preterm boys (0.9%) and boys with low birth weight (1%) as compared to full-term boys (0.7%) and boys with normal birth weight (0.7%). Boys SGA required surgical intervention more commonly than boys with normal birth weight. Ethnically, cryptorchidism prevalence at birth was similar among Estonians and non-Estonians. CONCLUSION: Our data revealed that cryptorchidism prevalence, especially in full-term boys, is lower in Estonia than reported in the other Nordic-Baltic countries and worldwide.

Genetic Relatedness of Staphylococcus haemolyticus in Gut and Skin of Preterm Neonates and Breast Milk of Their Mothers.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus haemolyticus is a common colonizer and cause of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm neonates. By describing genetic relatedness, we aimed to determine whether mother's breast milk (BM) is a source of S. haemolyticus colonizing neonatal gut and skin and/or causing LOS. METHODS: S. haemolyticus was isolated from stool and skin swabs of 49 BM-fed preterm neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit, 20 healthy BM-fed term neonates and BM of mothers once a week and typed by multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis and multilocus sequence typing. Virulence-related genes were determined by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Compared with term neonates, S. haemolyticus colonized more commonly gut (35% vs. 89.9%; P < 0.001) and skin (50% vs. 91.8%; P < 0.001) of preterm neonates and mothers' BM (15% vs. 38.8%). Isolates from preterm compared with term neonates and their mothers carried more commonly the mecA gene (83.5% vs. 5.4%; P < 0.001) and IS256 (52.4% vs. 2.7%; P < 0.001) and belonged to clonal complex 29 (89.1% vs. 63%; P = 0.014). Only 7 (14.3%) preterm and 3 (15%) term neonates were colonized in gut or on skin with multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis types indistinguishable from those in BM. Most frequent multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis types belonged to sequence type 3 or 42, comprised 71.1%-78.4% of isolates from preterm neonates/mothers and caused all 7 LOS episodes. LOS-causing strain colonized the gut of 4/7 and the skin of 5/7 neonates, but not BM, before onset of LOS. CONCLUSIONS: S. haemolyticus colonizing gut and skin or causing LOS in preterm neonates rarely originate from BM but are mecA-positive strains adapted to hospital environment.

Genetic relatedness of Gram-negative bacteria colonizing gut and skin of neonates and mother's own milk.

OBJECTIVE: We described colonization of mother's own milk with Gram-negative bacteria and its relationship with neonatal colonization. STUDY DESIGN: Gram-negative bacteria isolated from weekly collected stool, skin and mother's own milk of hospitalized preterm (n = 49) and healthy term neonates (n = 20) were genotyped. Colonization-related factors were determined by logistic regression. RESULTS: Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from mother's own milk of 22.4% (n = 11) and 15% (n = 3) of mothers of preterm and term neonates, respectively. According to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genetically similar strains were present in mother's own milk and gut of 8.2% (n = 4) of mother-preterm neonate, but none of mother-term neonate pairs. In three of four late-onset sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria, colonization of gut, but not mother's own milk, with invasive species preceded late-onset sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: Colonization of mother's own milk with Gram-negative bacteria is uncommon and transmission to neonatal gut may occur in less than one-tenth of neonate-mother pairs.

Higher intake of coagulase-negative staphylococci from maternal milk promotes gut colonization with mecA-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis in preterm neonates.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine factors associated with gut colonization of preterm neonates with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) from maternal milk (MM). STUDY DESIGN: CoNS isolated from weekly collected stool and MM of hospitalized preterm (n = 49) and healthy term neonates (n = 20) were genotyped. Colonization-related factors were determined by Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULT: Gut colonization with mecA-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis from MM was less prevalent (40.8% vs. 95%) and delayed (median age 15.5 vs. 2 days) in preterm compared with term neonates. Enhanced colonization was associated with higher intake of CoNS from MM (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.006 (1.00-1.01) for 106 colony-forming units), lower proportion of mecA-positive predominant NICU strains in gut (0.09 (0.01-0.49) for 1%) and lower incidence of late-onset CoNS sepsis (5% vs. 34% in those without colonization). CONCLUSION: Enteral feeding with larger proportion of unpasteurized MM and limiting spread of predominant strains may promote colonization with CoNS from MM.

The role of breast milk in the colonization of neonatal gut and skin with coagulase-negative staphylococci.

BackgroundWe aimed to determine the genetic relatedness between Staphylococcus epidermidis colonizing breast milk (BM) and BM-fed neonates during the first month of life.MethodsS. epidermidis was isolated from the stool and skin swabs of 20 healthy term and 49 preterm neonates hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit and from the BM of mothers once a week and typed by multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis. Virulence-related genes were determined by PCR.ResultsThe gut (95%) and skin (100%) of term neonates were colonized with strains genetically similar to those in BM and carrying mecA and IS256 at low rate (both <6.7%). In preterm neonates, colonization with strains genetically similar to those in BM was low on the skin (34.7%) and in the gut in the first week of life (14.3%), but the prevalence of mecA (>90.6%) and IS256 (>61.7%) was high. By the fourth week, in the gut of preterm neonates the prevalence of mecA (73.8%) and IS256 (18.4%) decreased, but colonization with strains genetically similar to those in BM increased (83.7%).ConclusionDuring early life, the skin and gut of preterm neonates is colonized with S. epidermidis that is distinct from strains found in BM, but gradually the gut is enriched with strains genetically similar to those in BM, as in term neonates.

Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci in Human Milk From Mothers of Preterm Compared With Term Neonates.

BACKGROUND: Human milk is the preferred nutrition for neonates and a source of bacteria. Research aim: The authors aimed to characterize the molecular epidemiology and genetic content of staphylococci in the human milk of mothers of preterm and term neonates. METHODS: Staphylococci were isolated once per week in the 1st month postpartum from the human milk of mothers of 20 healthy term and 49 preterm neonates hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeats analysis and multilocus sequence typing were used. The presence of the mecA gene, icaA gene of the ica-operon, IS 256, and ACME genetic elements was determined by PCR. RESULTS: The human milk of mothers of preterm compared with term neonates had higher counts of staphylococci but lower species diversity. The human milk of mothers of preterm compared with term neonates more often contained Staphylococcus epidermidis mecA (32.7% vs. 2.6%), icaA (18.8% vs. 6%), IS 256 (7.9% vs. 0.9%), and ACME (15.4% vs. 5.1%), as well as Staphylococcus haemolyticus mecA (90.5% vs. 10%) and IS 256 (61.9% vs. 10%). The overall distribution of multilocus variable-number tandem-repeats analysis (MLVA) types and sequence types was similar between the human milk of mothers of preterm and term neonates, but a few mecA-IS 256-positive MLVA types colonized only mothers of preterm neonates. Maternal hospitalization within 1 month postpartum and the use of an arterial catheter or antibacterial treatment in the neonate increased the odds of harboring mecA-positive staphylococci in human milk. CONCLUSION: Limiting exposure of mothers of preterm neonates to the hospital could prevent human milk colonization with more pathogenic staphylococci.

Ampicillin versus penicillin in the empiric therapy of extremely low-birthweight neonates at risk of early onset sepsis.

BACKGROUND: There are no comparative data on the impact of different empiric antibiotic regimens on early bowel colonization as well as on clinical efficacy in extremely low-birthweight (ELBW) neonates at risk of early onset sepsis (EOS). METHODS: A subgroup analysis was carried out of ELBW neonates recruited into a two-center, prospective, cluster randomized study comparing ampicillin and penicillin both combined with gentamicin, within the first 72 h of life. A composite primary end-point (need for change of antibiotics within 72 h and/or 7 day all-cause mortality) and the rate and duration of colonization by opportunistic aerobic microorganisms were assessed using hierarchical models corrected for study center and period. RESULTS: In the ampicillin (n= 36) and penicillin (n= 39) groups change of antibiotics, 7 day mortality and the composite end-point occurred at similar rates. Neonatal intensive care unit mortality for infants with gestational age <26 weeks was lower in the ampicillin group. Ampicillin treatment was associated with a higher colonization rate by Klebsiella pneumoniae, including ampicillin-resistant strains. CONCLUSION: Preliminary data indicate an urgent need for adequately powered studies of early antibiotic therapy in the subpopulation of ELBW neonates at risk of EOS.

Clinical parameters predicting failure of empirical antibacterial therapy in early onset neonatal sepsis, identified by classification and regression tree analysis.

BACKGROUND: About 10-20% of neonates with suspected or proven early onset sepsis (EOS) fail on the empiric antibiotic regimen of ampicillin or penicillin and gentamicin. We aimed to identify clinical and laboratory markers associated with empiric antibiotic treatment failure in neonates with suspected EOS. METHODS: Maternal and early neonatal characteristics predicting failure of empiric antibiotic treatment were identified by univariate logistic regression analysis from a prospective database of 283 neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit within 72 hours of life and requiring antibiotic therapy with penicillin or ampicillin and gentamicin. Variables, identified as significant by univariate analysis, were entered into stepwise multiple logistic regression (MLR) analysis and classification and regression tree (CRT) analysis to develop a decision algorithm for clinical application. In order to ensure the earliest possible timing separate analysis for 24 and 72 hours of age was performed. RESULTS: At 24 hours of age neonates with hypoglycaemia < or = 2.55 mmol/L together with CRP values > 1.35 mg/L or those with BW < or = 678 g had more than 30% likelihood of treatment failure. In normoglycaemic neonates with higher BW the best predictors of treatment failure at 24 hours were GA < or = 27 weeks and among those, with higher GA, WBC < or = 8.25 x 10(9) L(-1) together with platelet count < or = 143 x 10(9) L(-1). The algorithm allowed capture of 75% of treatment failure cases with a specificity of 89%. By 72 hours of age minimum platelet count < or = 94.5 x 10(9) L(-1) with need for vasoactive treatment or leukopaenia < or = 3.5 x 10(9) L(-1) or leukocytosis > 39.8 x 10(9) L(-1) or blood glucose < or = 1.65 mmol/L allowed capture of 81% of treatment failure cases with the specificity of 88%. The performance of MLR and CRT models was similar, except for higher specificity of the CRT at 72 h, compared to MLR analysis. CONCLUSION: There is an identifiable group of neonates with high risk of EOS, likely to fail on conventional antibiotic therapy.