Blindness, deafness or cerebral palsy are some of the complications can be avoided
The protein analysis of the umbilical cord may allow the detection of early neonatal sepsis – a serious infection that affects about 1% of newborns, causing the deaths of close to 50%. The conclusion is a group of researchers from the Medical School of Yale, the United States of America, which identified a number of proteins in the umbilical cord that are associated with this infection.
From the analysis of these proteins the U.S. experts have discovered biomarkers that can provide key information on how sepsis develops and thereafter detect the changes that occur in the physiology of the fetus is exposed to infection in the amniotic fluid.
With this discovery, scientists believe it will be possible to diagnose the first signs of sepsis and from there catch the development of symptoms.
“The early neonatal sepsis is an infection that can have potentially devastating effects norec newborn. In addition, it is also a complication difficult to diagnose. Conceivably, therefore, early detection of the first signs of infection represents a major step forward to prevent future complications. This recent discovery proves that the umbilical cord carries not only benefits for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as may even serve as a biomarker “said Pedro Antunes, Director of the National Future Health Portugal.
Preterm births account for 75% of infant mortality and 50% deficiencies in the long term, such as blindness, deafness, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, developmental delays and cerebral palsy. This has not only led the gestational age of newborn at birth, but also in other cases as the first symptoms of neonatal sepsis.
Pregnant women who are part of the risk group are currently treated with a dose of antibiotics during the pregnancy. After birth, newborns are being treated with other drugs. These antibiotics can “mask” the presence of sepsis.
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