Syphilis in Pregnancy and Congenital Syphilis.

Syphilis, once in decline, is seeing a rapid re-emergence throughout the United States. A sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, syphilis infection in pregnancy can result in serious complications and have a profound impact on maternal and neonatal health. As rates of syphilis have increased among people of reproductive age, so too have cases of congenital syphilis.

Antibiotic exposure for culture-negative early-onset sepsis in late-preterm and term newborns: an international study.

Background: Early-life antibiotic exposure is disproportionately high compared to the burden of culture-proven early-onset sepsis (CP-EOS). We assessed the contribution of culture-negative cases to the overall antibiotic exposure in the first postnatal week.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis across eleven countries in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Analysis of Antibiotic Exposure and Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Importance: Appropriate use of antibiotics is life-saving in neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS), but overuse of antibiotics is associated with antimicrobial resistance and long-term adverse outcomes. Large international studies quantifying early-life antibiotic exposure along with EOS incidence are needed to provide a basis for future interventions aimed at safely reducing neonatal antibiotic exposure.

Objective: To compare early postnatal exposure to antibiotics, incidence of EOS, and mortality among different networks in high-income countries.

Can traditional birth attendants be trained to accurately identify septic infants, initiate antibiotics, and refer in a rural African setting?

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of neonatal mortality. In populations with limited access to health care, early identification of bacterial infections and initiation of antibiotics by community health workers (CHWs) could be lifesaving. It is unknown whether this strategy would be feasible using traditional birth attendants (TBAs), a cadre of CHWs who typically have limited training and educational backgrounds.