Influenza Immunization in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants: Epidemiology and Long-Term Outcomes.

Background: Very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs; birth weight < 1500 g) are at an increased risk of complicated influenza infection, which frequently includes pneumonia, encephalitis or even death. Data on influenza immunization and its outcome in VLBWIs are scarce. This study aimed to provide epidemiological data on influenza immunization for German VLBWIs and hypothesized that immunization would protect VLBWIs from infection-mediated neurodevelopmental impairment and preserves lung function at early school age.

The effect of less invasive surfactant administration on cerebral oxygenation in preterm infants.

Aim: To determine the regional cerebral tissue oxygenation saturation (rcSO ) in a group of infants requiring less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) as compared to infants with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) only.

Methods: In preterm infants with a gestational age 26 0/7-31 6/7 weeks, we conducted an observational study using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the first 120 hours of life.

Results: We analysed the data of 22 infants who never received surfactant (CPAP), 22 infants had LISA and CPAP (LISA) and 6 infants received surfactant via endotracheal tube (ETT).

The modulatory effect of lipids and glucose on the neonatal immune response induced by Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Background: Parenteral nutrition is an important risk factor for late onset sepsis in neonates. This may be caused by the long-term need of central venous access but also through a potentially modulating effect of lipids and glucose on the immune function.

Objective: It was the aim of this study to characterize the effect of lipids and glucose on the neonatal immune response in an in vitro Staphylococcus epidermidis sepsis model using whole cord blood of healthy term infants and preterm infants.

Individual versus group oral hygiene instruction for adults.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the practicability and effectiveness of group oral hygiene instruction for adults in comparison with individual oral hygiene instruction.

Materials And Methods: A total of 104 male subjects aged 18 to 54 (mean age: 29.7) years were randomly assigned to one of four groups: group A was given individual oral hygiene instruction; group B was given group oral hygiene instruction; group C was given a combination of individual and group oral hygiene instructions; and group D received no oral hygiene instruction (the control group).

Lyme disease with lymphocytic meningitis, trigeminal palsy and silent thalamic lesion.

We describe a follow-up in a 15-year-old boy with neuroborreliosis diagnosed by clinical symptoms, CSF and serum analysis. MRI revealed a thalamic lesion and an enhancement of the right trigeminal nerve clinically associated with mild hypasthesia in the right maxillary region. Both, clinical symptoms and radiological findings disappeared within 2 months after treatment.