Ask the Expert

Growth and Nutrition Experts’s Bio Image

Get answers to your child's growth, nutrition, and feeding behavior questions.

Growth and Nutrition Experts’s Bio | Q&A Archive

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

Please install flash player to see this video.

Group B streptococcal septicemia of the newborn - Treatment

Treatment:

Treatment may involve one or more of the following:

Antibiotics given through a vein
Fluids given through a vein
Medicines to reverse shock
Medicines or procedures to correct blood clotting problems
Oxygen therapy
Breathing help

A complex therapy called extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be used in very severe cases.

Expectations (prognosis):

This disease can be deadly without early treatment.

Complications:

Possible complications include:

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) -- a serious disorder in which the proteins that control blood clotting are abnormally active
Hypoglycemia -- low blood sugar
Meningitis -- an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
Respiratory distress -- breathing stops

Calling your health care provider:

This disease is usually diagnosed shortly after birth, often while the baby is still in the hospital. However, if you have a newborn at home who shows signs of this condition, seek immediate emergency medical help or call the local emergency number (such as 911).

Reviewed last on: 10/8/2007
Deirdre O’Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2005.

Schrag S, Gorwitz R, Fultz-Butts K, Schuchat A. Prevention of perinatal group B streptococcal disease. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 51(RR-11): 1–22, 2002.

Schrag S. Prevention of neonatal sepsis. Clin Perinatol. Sept 2005; 32(3): 601-15.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)