NiCE have published a new guideline on Neonatal infection: antibiotics for prevention and treatment.
This guideline covers preventing bacterial infection in healthy babies of up to and including 28 days corrected gestational age, treating pregnant women whose unborn baby is at risk of infection, and caring for babies of up to and including 28 days corrected gestational age with a suspected or confirmed bacterial infection. It aims to reduce delays in recognising and treating infection and prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics. The guideline does not cover viral infections.
This guideline includes new and updated recommendations on:
- preventing early-onset neonatal infection before birth
- risk factors for and clinical indicators of possible early-onset neonatal infection and late-onset neonatal infection
investigations before starting antibiotics in babies who may have early-onset infection and late-onset infection
antibiotics for late-onset neonatal infection - duration of antibiotic treatment for late-onset neonatal infection
- antifungals to prevent fungal infection during antibiotic treatment for late-onset neonatal infection
- early- and late-onset meningitis in babies in neonatal units
- antibiotics for suspected early-onset infection
- duration of antibiotic treatment for early-onset neonatal infection
- avoiding routine use of antibiotics in babies
- therapeutic drug monitoring for babies receiving gentamicin
- care setting