Some maternal infections contracted before or during pregnancy can be transmitted to the fetus, during gestation (congenital infection), during labor and childbirth (perinatal infection) and through breastfeeding (postnatal infection). The microorganisms most frequently responsible for congenital infections are Cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, Treponema pallidum, Hepatitis B and C virus, HIV, Parvovirus B19 and non-polio Enterovirus. Infections in pregnancy can damage the fetus (spontaneous abortion, fetal death, intrauterine growth retardation) or the newborn (congenital anomalies, organ diseases with sequelae of different severity). Some risk factors specifically influence the incidence of transmission to the fetus, in relation to the germ: the timing of the infection in pregnancy, the order of the infection, primary or reinfection or chronic, the duration of membrane rupture, type of delivery, socio-economic conditions and breastfeeding. To date the maternal-fetal transmission of many microorganisms is preventable thanks to the use of specific drugs, vaccines or passive immunization. When the mother is not treated or the therapy is not applicable, neonates with overt symptoms at birth have a worse prognosis than asymptomatic infants. However, despite being asymptomatic, neonates still have an increased risk of delayed onset of mental and sensorineural sequelae. Most ocular and auditory damages may be progressive. These sequelae are often unpredictable in the absence of a long term follow up. Neonates with congenital infection, symptomatic at birth or not, may have a poor prognosis in the absence of early diagnosis and therapy. The onset of severe or moderate sequelae is both in the first year of life and later.
Early therapy during pregnancy, where applicable, and post-natal care may improve the prognosis of neonates with congenital infections. Children with congenital infection need multidisciplinary follow up, independently from the presence of symptoms of infection at birth, for the prevention of neurodevelopmental damage in the short and long term.
We are interested in receiving contributions that address the following themes:
- Infections in pregnancy leading to miscarriage, premature birth, infection in neonates, and developmental disabilities in children.
- Effect and efficacy in the prevention of multidisciplinary prenatal counseling to evaluate possible therapies and neonatal follow-up.
- Infected neonates, symptomatic at birth, have worse outcomes than asymptomatic
- Early diagnosis of congenital infections, any sensorineural defects and possible therapies
- Asymptomatic babies and the development of long term neurosensory outcomes
- Effect and efficacy of multidisciplinary follow-up in newborns and children for the prevention and early therapy of distant outcomes of congenital infections: how to structure the follow-up
Some maternal infections contracted before or during pregnancy can be transmitted to the fetus, during gestation (congenital infection), during labor and childbirth (perinatal infection) and through breastfeeding (postnatal infection). The microorganisms most frequently responsible for congenital infections are Cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, Treponema pallidum, Hepatitis B and C virus, HIV, Parvovirus B19 and non-polio Enterovirus. Infections in pregnancy can damage the fetus (spontaneous abortion, fetal death, intrauterine growth retardation) or the newborn (congenital anomalies, organ diseases with sequelae of different severity). Some risk factors specifically influence the incidence of transmission to the fetus, in relation to the germ: the timing of the infection in pregnancy, the order of the infection, primary or reinfection or chronic, the duration of membrane rupture, type of delivery, socio-economic conditions and breastfeeding. To date the maternal-fetal transmission of many microorganisms is preventable thanks to the use of specific drugs, vaccines or passive immunization. When the mother is not treated or the therapy is not applicable, neonates with overt symptoms at birth have a worse prognosis than asymptomatic infants. However, despite being asymptomatic, neonates still have an increased risk of delayed onset of mental and sensorineural sequelae. Most ocular and auditory damages may be progressive. These sequelae are often unpredictable in the absence of a long term follow up. Neonates with congenital infection, symptomatic at birth or not, may have a poor prognosis in the absence of early diagnosis and therapy. The onset of severe or moderate sequelae is both in the first year of life and later.
Early therapy during pregnancy, where applicable, and post-natal care may improve the prognosis of neonates with congenital infections. Children with congenital infection need multidisciplinary follow up, independently from the presence of symptoms of infection at birth, for the prevention of neurodevelopmental damage in the short and long term.
We are interested in receiving contributions that address the following themes:
- Infections in pregnancy leading to miscarriage, premature birth, infection in neonates, and developmental disabilities in children.
- Effect and efficacy in the prevention of multidisciplinary prenatal counseling to evaluate possible therapies and neonatal follow-up.
- Infected neonates, symptomatic at birth, have worse outcomes than asymptomatic
- Early diagnosis of congenital infections, any sensorineural defects and possible therapies
- Asymptomatic babies and the development of long term neurosensory outcomes
- Effect and efficacy of multidisciplinary follow-up in newborns and children for the prevention and early therapy of distant outcomes of congenital infections: how to structure the follow-up
