Preterm infants at low risk for early-onset sepsis differ in early fecal microbiome assembly.

Antibiotics are administered near-universally to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants after birth for suspected early-onset sepsis (EOS). We previously identified a phenotypic group of VLBW infants, referred to as low-risk for EOS (LRE), whose risk of EOS is low enough to avoid routine antibiotic initiation. In this cohort study, we compared 18 such infants with 30 infants categorized as non-LRE to determine if the lower risk of pathogen transmission at birth is accompanied by differences in microbiome acquisition and development.

Breast Milk and Saliva for Postnatal Cyto†megalovirus Screening among Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Background: The optimal approach to managing postnatal cytomegalovirus disease (pCMV) among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants remains unknown. Methods to facilitate screening are needed.

Objective: Determine whether mother's milk and infant saliva can be used to reliably identify maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus and detect infant pCMV acquisition.