Clinical and Developmental Immunology
Volume 2013 (2013), Article ID 826303, 9 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/826303
Review Article
Neonatal Host Defense against Staphylococcal Infections
1Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
2Lurie Children's Hospital Chicago, IL 60611, USA
3Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
4Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
5Human Biology & Translational Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
2Lurie Children's Hospital Chicago, IL 60611, USA
3Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
4Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
5Human Biology & Translational Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Received 19 March 2013; Revised 14 May 2013; Accepted 14 May 2013
Academic Editor: Tobias R. Kollmann
Copyright © 2013 Melanie R. Power Coombs et al. This is an open access article distributed under theCreative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Preterm infants are especially susceptible to late-onset sepsis that is often due to Gram-positive bacterial infections resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Herein, we will describe neonatal innate immunity to Staphylococcus spp. comparing differences between preterm and full-term newborns with adults. Newborn innate immunity is distinct demonstrating diminished skin integrity, impaired Th1-polarizing responses, low complement levels, and diminished expression of plasma antimicrobial proteins and peptides, especially in preterm newborns. Characterization of distinct aspects of the neonatal immune response is defining novel approaches to enhance host defense to prevent and/or treat staphylococcal infection in this vulnerable population.
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