“Data show vast majority of preemies treated with antibiotics”

“A new analysis has found that almost 80% of premature infants are exposed to early antibiotic treatment, with little change in antibiotic exposure over recent years.

Antibiotics are commonly administered to premature infants to protect them from bacterial infections and early-onset sepsis (EOS), a condition in which chemicals released into the blood to fight infection trigger inflammatory responses throughout the body. Bacterial infections can be acquired from the mother’s genital tract during labor or after birth, and premature infants are more susceptible.

But recent research has highlighted potential risks associated with prolonged antibiotic treatment in premature infants without culture-confirmed infection, including increased mortality. And the researchers who conducted today’s study argue that the overall rate of antibiotic initiation observed was much higher than the actual incidence of infection in premature infants.”

Source: CIDRAP