IVIG in Neonatal Sepsis: Alea iacta est?

With an incidence of 16% and a risk of mortality of 4% sepsis in preterm newborns with a birth weight <1,500 grams remains a burden problem. Despite antibiotic treatment, the incidence of sepsis stayed stable over the past decades in western industry nations, however there was a shift within the spectrum of pathogens from group B streptococci (GBS) to gram negative microbes. Preterm infants have decreased immunoglobulin concentrations below protective antibody titers; combined with their immature immune system they have an increased susceptibility for infections and sepsis [1]. Thus, therapy studies focus on adjunctive therapies such as immunoglobulins.