Papers by Maria Grazia Capretti
Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 2013
Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of sensorineural hearin... more Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The mechanisms of pathogenesis of CMV-related SNHL are still unclear. The aim is to study congenital CMV-related damage in the fetal inner ear, in order to better understand the underlying pathophysiology behind CMV-SNHL. Results: We studied inner ears and brains of 20 human fetuses, all at 21 week gestational age, with a high viral load in the amniotic fluid, with and without ultrasound (US) brain abnormalities. We evaluated histological brain damage, inner ear infection, local inflammatory response and tissue viral load. Immunohistochemistry revealed that CMV was positive in 14/20 brains (70%) and in the inner ears of 9/20 fetuses (45%). In the cases with inner ear infection, the marginal cell layer of the stria vascularis was always infected, followed by infection in the Reissner's membrane. The highest tissue viral load was observed in the inner ear with infected Organ of Corti. Vestibular labyrinth showed CMV infection of sensory cells in the utricle and in the crista ampullaris. US cerebral anomalies were detected in 6 cases, and in all those cases, the inner ear was always involved. In the other 14 cases with normal brain scan, histological brain damage was present in 8 fetuses and 3 of them presented inner ear infection.
Brain and Development, 2014
Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting t... more Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited.
Prenatal Diagnosis, 2014
Objective To evaluate the incidence of infants with birth weight less than the 10 th centile for ... more Objective To evaluate the incidence of infants with birth weight less than the 10 th centile for small for gestational age (SGA) in primary maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and to determine whether SGA predicts poor neurodevelopmental outcome.
Journal of Pediatrics
We evaluated the effects of bolus vs continuous tube feeding on cardiorespiratory events, detecte... more We evaluated the effects of bolus vs continuous tube feeding on cardiorespiratory events, detected by polysomnographic monitoring, in healthy preterm infants. Continuous tube feeding resulted in a significant increase of apneas and apneas-related hypoxic episodes compared with bolus feeding.
The new microbiologica, 2013
Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infection is a serious illness with significant mortality and... more Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infection is a serious illness with significant mortality and morbidity for disseminated disease. Clinical diagnosis of neonatal HSV infection is often difficult without evidence of HSV exposure, for example, absence of a rash or the presence of non-specified manifestations in an infant. Early recognition and treatment with high-dose Acyclovir may dramatically improve the short and long-term outcomes. We describe an infant with disseminated disease due to HSV-1 infection, who first presented clinical and radiologic features of pneumonia. The diagnosis was performed post-mortem by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis of blood, cerebrospinal fluid and pleural liquid of the infant. Tissue PCR revealed a disseminated HSV-1 infection, with a high viral load detected in liver, lungs, brain, heart, striated muscle, kidneys, and thymus tissues. This case report highlights the need for neonatologists to raise awareness about the different cli...
The Journal of Pediatrics, 2014
We evaluated the effects of bolus vs continuous tube feeding on cardiorespiratory events, detecte... more We evaluated the effects of bolus vs continuous tube feeding on cardiorespiratory events, detected by polysomnographic monitoring, in healthy preterm infants. Continuous tube feeding resulted in a significant increase of apneas and apneas-related hypoxic episodes compared with bolus feeding.
The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic value of IgM Western Blot (WB), IgA enzyme 27 i... more The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic value of IgM Western Blot (WB), IgA enzyme 27 immunoassay (EIA) and DNA amplification by Real-Time PCR on Guthrie cards to retrospectively 28 establish the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis (CT).
Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 2013
Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of sensorineural hearin... more Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The mechanisms of pathogenesis of CMV-related SNHL are still unclear. The aim is to study congenital CMV-related damage in the fetal inner ear, in order to better understand the underlying pathophysiology behind CMV-SNHL. Results: We studied inner ears and brains of 20 human fetuses, all at 21 week gestational age, with a high viral load in the amniotic fluid, with and without ultrasound (US) brain abnormalities. We evaluated histological brain damage, inner ear infection, local inflammatory response and tissue viral load. Immunohistochemistry revealed that CMV was positive in 14/20 brains (70%) and in the inner ears of 9/20 fetuses (45%). In the cases with inner ear infection, the marginal cell layer of the stria vascularis was always infected, followed by infection in the Reissner's membrane. The highest tissue viral load was observed in the inner ear with infected Organ of Corti. Vestibular labyrinth showed CMV infection of sensory cells in the utricle and in the crista ampullaris. US cerebral anomalies were detected in 6 cases, and in all those cases, the inner ear was always involved. In the other 14 cases with normal brain scan, histological brain damage was present in 8 fetuses and 3 of them presented inner ear infection.
Microbiologia Medica, 2011
Journal of Immunology Research, 2014
Primary immunodeficiencies are rare inherited disorders that may lead to frequent and often sever... more Primary immunodeficiencies are rare inherited disorders that may lead to frequent and often severe acute respiratory infections. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most frequent pathogens during early infancy and the infection is more severe in immunocompromised infants than in healthy infants, as a result of impaired T-and B-cell immune response unable to efficaciously neutralize viral replication, with subsequent increased viral shedding and potentially lethal lower respiratory tract infection. Several authors have reported a severe clinical course after RSV infections in infants and children with primary and acquired immunodeficiencies. Environmental prophylaxis is essential in order to reduce the infection during the epidemic season in hospitalized immunocompromised infants. Prophylaxis with palivizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against the RSV F protein, is currently recommended in high-risk infants born prematurely, with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease. Currently however the prophylaxis is not routinely recommended in infants with primary immunodeficiency, although some authors propose the extension of prophylaxis to this high risk population.
Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2007
to evaluate the prevalence of maternal syphilis at delivery and neonatal syphilis infection in an... more to evaluate the prevalence of maternal syphilis at delivery and neonatal syphilis infection in an Italian urban area, in connection with the increased flow of immigration. A prospective surveillance study was carried out in Bologna, Italy, from November 2000 to March 2006. All pregnant women were screened for syphilis at delivery. Infants born to seropositive mothers were enrolled in a prospective follow-up. During the study period 19,205 women gave birth to 19,548 infants. A total of 85 women were seropositive for syphilis at delivery. The overall syphilis seroprevalence in pregnant women was 0.44%, but it was 4.3% in women from eastern Europe and 5.8% in women from Central-South America. Ten women were first found positive at delivery, as they did not receive any prenatal care. Nine of these were from eastern Europe. All their infants were asymptomatic, but six had both reactive immunoglobulin (Ig)M western blot and rapid plasma reagin tests and were considered prenatally infected. Three of six were preterm (gestational age <37 weeks). In Italy, congenital syphilis infection is strictly related to immigration from eastern Europe. Although it is asymptomatic, it could cause premature delivery. Therefore, it is necessary to perform serological tests during the third trimester in mothers coming from endemic areas to adequately treat syphilis in pregnancy and prevent congenital infection. If the mother's test results are not available at delivery, it is necessary to investigate the newborn, especially if it is born prematurely.
Pediatric Research, 2004
Background: Partial liquid ventilation (PLV) represents an alternative therapy of severe respirat... more Background: Partial liquid ventilation (PLV) represents an alternative therapy of severe respiratory insufficiency, caused by disturbances of the pulmonary surfactant. To wean patients from PLV an intact surfactant system is required. Data concerning the interaction of perfluorocarbons (PFC) with surfactant metabolism are controversial. According to in vitro data we hypothesized that intracellular surfactant pool is reduced in PLV treated animals.
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 2014
Background: the effectiveness of Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) screening during pregnancy in areas with ... more Background: the effectiveness of Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) screening during pregnancy in areas with a low prevalence of the infection is debated. We investigate the Tg serological status, the rate of primary infection in a cohort of pregnant women and the rate of congenital toxoplasmosis among their infants during a 3-year period in an urban area with low Tg prevalence. Methods: demographic and Tg serological data for all pregnant women delivering from January 2009 to december 2011 were collected. all pregnant women with primary Tg infection during pregnancy and their infants were included in the study. Results: in early pregnancy, 10,347 women underwent prenatal screening and 2308 (22.3%) had anti-Tg. the seroprevalence among non-native women was significantly higher than that among native women [32.8% vs. 19.1%, relative risk: 1.71, P < 0.001]. the incidence rate of primary Tg infection during pregnancy was 0.77%. immigrant women were more likely to be infected during pregnancy than italian women (relative risk: 4.88, P < 0.001). Tg infection was more frequent in women coming from africa, asia, eastern europe and South america. the Ct incidence rate was 0.06%. all congenitally infected infants were born to immigrant mothers. Conclusions: Tg infection during pregnancy and congenital disease are more frequent in non-native mothers and their infants. Measures to prevent Tg exposition must be carefully explained to pregnant women, with a focus on specific habits in non-native women. Prenatal screening is still effective to select women for prenatal therapy aiming to decrease vertical transmission and to identify foetuses/newborns with congenital disease that could benefit from pre/postnatal antiparasitic therapy.
The Journal of Pediatrics, 2009
Objective To assess the risk of post-natal cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission to very low birth w... more Objective To assess the risk of post-natal cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants fed with their mother's fresh milk.
Journal of Medical Microbiology, 2009
Inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy and its effect on survival in a clinical trial of imm... more Inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy and its effect on survival in a clinical trial of immunomodulating therapy for severe sepsis. Am J Med 115, 529-535. Kaufman, D. & Fairchild, K. D. (2004). Clinical microbiology of bacterial and fungal sepsis in very-low-birth-weight infants. Clin Microbiol Rev 17, 638-680. Kollef, M. H. (2003). The importance of appropriate initial antibiotic therapy for hospitalacquired infections. Am J Med 115, 582-584.
Early Human Development, 2010
Early Human Development, 2008
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is known as the cytokine that plays a significant role in inflammatory respo... more Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is known as the cytokine that plays a significant role in inflammatory response. Recently the IL-6 has been investigated in amniotic fluid, vaginal smear, umbilical cord, maternal and newborn plasma, as a marker associated with preterm delivery, chorioamnionitis, neonatal infections, periventricular leukomalacia and other neonatal disorders. There is a very few studies comparing maternal and umbilical cord blood concentrations of intereleukin-6 in the presence or absence of the early onset neonatal infection and all of those publications are focused on preterm delivery.
Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 2008
Six presumptive cases of congenital syphilis with IgM western blot positive results were found. T... more Six presumptive cases of congenital syphilis with IgM western blot positive results were found. Two infants had a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test result (one also had a positive CSF PCR result), another presented long-bone lesions, and the remaining three were preterm. These observations confirmed that antenatal syphilis screening facilitates treatment during pregnancy and offsets vertical transmission; moreover, the use of IgM western blot and careful CSF examination allowed the identification and treatment of high-risk newborns.
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy, 2004
Aims: We investigated these cardiac side effects in premature infants, mainly in relation to feta... more Aims: We investigated these cardiac side effects in premature infants, mainly in relation to fetal growth.
Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 2008
To validate near-infrared reflectance analysis (NIRA) as a fast, reliable and suitable method for... more To validate near-infrared reflectance analysis (NIRA) as a fast, reliable and suitable method for routine evaluation of human milk&#39;s nitrogen and fat content. One neonatal intensive care unit. 124 samples of expressed human milk (55 from preterm mothers and 69 from term mothers). Measurement of nitrogen and fat content by NIRA and traditional methods (Gerber method for fat and Kjeldahl method for nitrogen). Agreement between NIRA and traditional methods. Variability in fat and nitrogen content of human milk. A strong agreement was found between the results of traditional methods and NIRA for both fat and nitrogen content (expressed as g/100 g of milk) in term (mean fat content: NIRA = 2.76; Gerber = 2.76; mean nitrogen content: NIRA = 1.88; Kjeldahl = 1.92) and preterm (mean fat content: NIRA = 3.56; Gerber = 3.52; mean nitrogen content: NIRA = 1.91; Kjeldahl = 1.89) mothers&#39; milk. Nitrogen content of the milk samples, measured by NIRA, ranged from 1.18 g/100 g to 2.71 g/100 g of milk in preterm milk and from 1.48 g/100 g to 2.47 g/100 g in term milk; fat content ranged from 1.27 g/100 g to 6.23 g/100 g of milk in preterm milk and from 1.01 g/100 g to 6.01 g/100 g of milk in term milk. NIRA can be used as a quick and reliable tool for routine monitoring of macronutrient content of human milk and for devising individualised human milk fortification regimens in the feeding of very premature infants.
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Papers by Maria Grazia Capretti