Prospective study of colonization and infection because of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mechanically ventilated patients at a neonatal intensive care unit in China.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is an important nosocomial infection at neonatal intensive care units (NICU), frequently caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A 6-month prospective study from January 2009 through June 2009 was performed to investigate the respective contribution of endogenous and exogenous transmission of P aeruginosa in the respiratory colonization or/and infection in the mechanically ventilated patients at a NICU to identify routes of lung infection with P aeruginosa and to assess risk factors for colonization or respiratory infection with P aeruginosa.

Methods: Samples from oropharyngeal swab, tracheobronchial aspirates, gastric aspirate, and rectal swab were obtained in each patient after intubation and then twice a week.

[IgE level of cord blood in neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid].

Objective: To study the effects of meconium-stained amniotic fluid on the cord blood IgE level in neonates.

Methods: A total of 404 neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid who were born by cesarean delivery between August 2003 and August 2005 (meconium-stained group) and 256 neonates with normal amniotic fluid delivered by cesarean (control group) were enrolled in this study. The meconium-stained group consisted of 80 cases of mild, 62 cases of moderate and 262 cases of severe meconium-stained amniotic fluid.