Neonatal bacteraemia in Ireland: A ten-year single-institution retrospective review.

Neonatal sepsis is a catastrophic condition of global concern, with reported mortality rates exceeding 10%. Bloodstream infections are an important cause of sepsis, and epidemiological studies of these infections are crucial for predicting the most common aetiological agents and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and for developing antimicrobial guidelines. For the ten-year study period from July 2013 to June 2023, all neonatal bacteraemia cases were reviewed prospectively using an enhanced surveillance protocol.

Maternal awareness, acceptability and willingness towards respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination during pregnancy in Ireland.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the world's leading cause of viral acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in infants. WHO has identified maternal RSV vaccination a priority and candidate vaccines are in development; however, vaccine hesitancy remains an impediment to successful implementation of maternal immunization. This study, the largest antenatal survey conducted to-date, aimed to examine maternal RSV awareness, likely acceptance of RSV vaccination in pregnancy, and attitudes to maternal vaccination.

Influence of an Early Human Milk Diet on the Duration of Parenteral Nutrition and Incidence of Late-Onset Sepsis in Very Low Birthweight (VLBW) Infants: A Systematic Review.

Human milk is the preferred source of enteral nutrition for very low birthweight (VLBW) infants, and it possibly decreases dependence on parenteral nutrition (PN) and reduces incidence of late-onset sepsis (LOS). No systematic review to date has specifically addressed the value of early versus late introduction of human milk diet (HMD) on duration of PN and incidence of LOS among VLBW infants. To review the evidence for an early versus late introduction of HMD on duration of PN and incidence of LOS in VLBW infants.

Sustaining the momentum for adult vaccination post-COVID-19 to leverage the global uptake of life-course immunisation: A scoping review and call to action.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic changed the adult vaccination landscape, possibly permanently. This review attempts to quantitate the magnitude of those changes.

Methods: PubMed was searched for studies on adult / life-course vaccination between 1 January 2020 until 8 November 2022.

The microbial pathology of maternal perinatal sepsis: A single-institution retrospective five-year review.

Introduction: Greater than half of in-hospital maternal deaths are caused by sepsis, a condition that occurs when infection exceeds local tissue containment and results in organ dysfunction. Determining the source of infection can be challenging. Microbiological cultures of the uterine cavity are often difficult to obtain, so antimicrobial susceptibility results may not be available to guide treatment.

Exclusive Human Milk Diet for Extremely Premature Infants: A Novel Fortification Strategy That Enhances the Bioactive Properties of Fresh, Frozen, and Pasteurized Milk Specimens.

Human milk (HM) fortification has been recommended for the nutritional optimization of very low-birthweight infants. This study analyzed the bioactive components of HM and evaluated fortification choices that could accentuate or attenuate the concentration of such components, with special reference to human milk-derived fortifier (HMDF) offered to extremely premature infants as an exclusive human milk diet. An observational feasibility study analyzed the biochemical and immunochemical characteristics of mothers' own milk (MOM), both fresh and frozen, and pasteurized banked donor human milk (DHM), each supplemented with either HMDF or cow's milk-derived fortifier (CMDF).

Impact of breastfeeding on the incidence and severity of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in infants: systematic review.

Background And Aims: Breastfeeding practices have demonstrated a protective effect against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease outcomes. RSV is the principal cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants worldwide, and an important cause of morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality. The primary aim is to determine the impact of breastfeeding on the incidence and severity of RSV bronchiolitis in infants.

Impact of breastfeeding on the incidence and severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated acute lower respiratory infections in infants: a systematic review highlighting the global relevance of primary prevention.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the principal cause of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) among infants worldwide, and an important cause of morbidity, hospitalisation and mortality. While infants are universally exposed to RSV, most mortality occurs among normal term infants from low-income and middle-income countries. Breastfeeding has been suggested to have a protective effect against RSV infection.

A repeated cross-sectional analysis of breastfeeding initiation rates in Ireland for two decades and 10 recommended priorities for improvement.

Despite a number of public health and policy-based initiatives, Ireland's national breastfeeding rates are among the lowest globally. Regionally, the Mid-West of Ireland has historically had low breastfeeding initiation rates, and parts of its major urban area such as Limerick City suffer the highest levels of economic deprivation in the country. In that context, this repeated cross-sectional study analysed breastfeeding initiation trends in the Mid-West of Ireland for two decades, from 2001 to 2020 inclusively.

Steroid use for established bronchopulmonary dysplasia: study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Postnatal steroids during the first few weeks of life have been demonstrated to be effective in decreasing the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a serious chronic respiratory condition affecting preterm infants. However, this preventive option is limited by the concern of neurological side effects. Steroids are used to treat established BPD in an attempt to reduce mortality, and length of stay and home oxygen therapy, both of which associated with high levels of parental stress and healthcare costs.

Structural basis of terephthalate recognition by solute binding protein TphC.

Biological degradation of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and assimilation of the corresponding monomers ethylene glycol and terephthalate (TPA) into central metabolism offers an attractive route for bio-based molecular recycling and bioremediation applications. A key step is the cellular uptake of the non-permeable TPA into bacterial cells which has been shown to be dependent upon the presence of the key tphC gene. However, little is known from a biochemical and structural perspective about the encoded solute binding protein, TphC.

Mobile-Assisted Virtual Bonding Enables Breast Milk Supply in Critically Ill Mothers With COVID-19: A Reflection on the Feasibility of Telelactation.

The separation of the mother-infant pair during the immediate postpartum period has been shown to impair the initiation and sustenance of breastfeeding. For critically ill mothers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the imposed isolation generates anxiety for their health and that of the offspring. In this study, we present a few cases where a favorable outcome was observed through a telehealth initiative for mothers with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, which involved sharing pictures and videos of newborn infants with the mothers during the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in a maternity hospital in northern Iran.

Unprecedented reduction in births of very low birthweight (VLBW) and extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ireland: a 'natural experiment' allowing analysis of data from the prior two decades.

Background: Aetiology of births involving very low birthweight (VLBW) and extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants is heterogeneous and preventive strategies remain elusive. Socioenvironmental measures implemented as Ireland's response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) pandemic represented a national lockdown, and have possibly influenced the health and well-being of pregnant women and unborn infants.

Methods: Regional trends of VLBW and ELBW infants in one designated health area of Ireland over two decades were analysed.

Health Care Professionals' Perspectives on Life-Course Immunization: A Qualitative Survey from a European Conference.

Today, fewer children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases than older adults. Health systems need new immunization strategies to tackle the burden of vaccine-preventable disease in an aging society. A life-course immunization (LCI) approach-which entails vaccination throughout an individual's lifespan-enables adults to age with reduced risk to disease, thereby enabling healthy, active and productive aging.

Word cloud analysis and single word summarisation as a new paediatric educational tool: Results of a neonatal application.

Aims: To analyse the value of computerised 'word cloud' (WC) generated from spontaneously articulated 'single word summarisation' (SWS) by medical students to assist their learning during the neonatal intensive care unit placement. To highlight WC as a potential new tool in paediatric teaching, improving student engagement and reflective feedback.

Methods: An observational study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Ireland for 5 years (October 2012 to September 2017).

Challenges facing vaccinators in the 21 century: results from a focus group qualitative study.

 Barriers to vaccination and the important role of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in influencing immunization decisions made by parents/patients have been well documented. Little information describes challenges that HCPs face in carrying out their role as vaccinators. We conducted a focus group study asking HCPs to describe their expectations as frontline vaccinators versus the day-to-day reality they faced.

Life-course immunization as a gateway to health.

Extending the benefits of vaccination against infectious diseases from childhood throughout the entire life-span is becoming an increasingly urgent priority in view of the world's aging population, emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases, and the necessity to invest more on prevention versus cure in global healthcare. Areas covered: This perspective discusses how life-course immunization could benefit human health at all stages of life. To achieve this, the current vaccination paradigm should be changed and all stakeholders have a role to play.

Caffeine Treatment for Apnea of Prematurity and the Influence on Dose-Dependent Postnatal Weight Gain Observed Over 15 Years.

To analyze the influence on weight gain of infants exposed to two dosage regimens of oral caffeine citrate (CC) for apnea of prematurity. Retrospective descriptive observational study of an eligible very low birth weight cohort over a 15-year period in an Irish University hospital. Data were analyzed between two distinct postnatal ages: 14-28 and 29-56 days.

Spiritual care in neonatology: analysis of emergency baptisms in an Irish neonatal unit over 15 years.

Background: Emergency baptism remains an important emotional and spiritual element for many parents of critically ill infants in the neonatal unit. There is no published data available as to which neonates are baptised and their outcomes.

Objectives: To evaluate trends, outcomes and characteristics of newborn infants baptised over a 15-year period in an Irish maternity hospital.

Maternal Vaccination as an Essential Component of Life-Course Immunization and Its Contribution to Preventive Neonatology.

Maternal immunisation schedules are increasingly coming under the spotlight as part of the development of lifetime immunisation programmes for the role that they play in improving maternal, foetal, and neonatal health. Maternally-acquired antibodies are critical in protecting infants during the first months of their lives. Maternal immunisation was previously overlooked owing to concerns regarding vaccinations in this untested and high-risk population but is now acknowledged for its potential impact on the outcomes in many domains of foetal and neonatal health, aside from its maternal benefits.

Utilization of conventional radiography in a regional neonatal intensive care unit in Ireland.

Objective: To audit the demand and radiation exposure of conventional radiography in a regional neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Ireland.

Methods: A retrospective study of radiographs performed on all admissions to the NICU in University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) over 2 years.

Results: A total of 1405 radiographs were performed on 506 infants.