The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in the West Black Sea Area, a mild-to-moderate iodine deficient area in Turkey. Neonatal screening for CH was performed using blood specimens collected onto filter paper. Thyrotropin [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)] was measured by radioimmunoassay, and a value >20 microU/ml was considered as cut-off point for re-examining. Venous serum was obtained to measure TSH, thyroxin (T4), free T4 (FT4) and thyroglobulin (TG). To determine the iodine status of the study area, median urinary iodine was measured in 212 randomly selected neonates and their mothers. A total of 18606 neonates were screened from three cities (Bolu, Düzce, and Zonguldak) between 2000 and 2002. With a cut-off point of TSH value >20 microU/ml, the recall rate was found 1.6%. Eight cases of CH were diagnosed (incidence 1/2326). There were three cases of transient hypothyroidism, with an incidence of 1/6202. Twenty-six percent of the TSH values was greater than 5 microU/ml. Median urinary iodine concentrations in neonates and their mothers were 85 microg/l and 40 microg/l, respectively. The incidences of CH, transient hypothyroidism and the recall rate were higher in our study area than many countries in Europe. The study area has been affected by mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. Neonatal screening for CH should be introduced in Turkey without delay. A national comprehensive infantile hypothyroidism and iodine prophylaxis policies should be developed.

BackgroundIn terms of pediatric healthcare-associated infections (HAI), neonatal intensive care units (NICU) constitute the greatest risk. Contacting a health care personnel, either directly or indirectly, elevates NICU occurrence rate and risks other infants in the same unit. In this study, it is aimed to retrospectively analyze the effect of the training along with camera monitoring and feedback (CMAF) to control the infection following a small outbreak.MethodsESBL producing Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected on three infants in May 2014 at the isolation room of Sakarya University Hospital NICU. Precautions were taken to prevent further spread of the infection. The infected infants were isolated and the decolonization process was initiated. For this aspect, health care workers (HCWs) in NICU were trained for infection control measures. An infection control committee has monitored the HCWs. Before monitoring, an approval was obtained from the hospital management and HCWs were informed about the CMAF, who were then periodically updated. On a weekly basis, NICU workers were provided with the feedbacks. Epidemic period and post-epidemic control period (June–July–August 2014) were evaluated and p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsHealthcare-associated infection (HAI) density was 9.59% before the onset of the CMAF, whereas it was detected as 2.24% during the CMAF period (p < 0.05). Following the precautions, HAI and HAI density rates have reduced to 76.6% and 74.85%, respectively. Moreover, hand hygiene compliance of health care workers was found 49.0% before the outbreak, whereas this rate has elevated to 62.7% after CMAF.ConclusionsHealthcare workers should be monitored in order to increase their compliance for infection control measures. Here, we emphasized that that CMAF of health workers may contribute reducing the HAI rate in the NICU.

Objective: Aim of this systematic review is to investigate the available evidence describing neonatal outcomes in newborns who have SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to guide prevention of COVID-19 in newborns. Methods: This is the study protocol for a systematic review. MEDLINE, Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, TUB _ ITAK databases, and key words of "Newborn" (neonatal OR clinical characteristics newborn OR infants less than 1 month OR infants less than 28 weeks OR Neonate) AND "clinical presentation" (epidemiology OR symptoms OR clinical course OR features) AND "COVID-19" (Coronavirus OR COVID-19 OR Sars-Cov2 OR coronavirus disease 2019 OR Novel Coronavirus OR 2019-nCoV) were searched for this systematic review. Randomized controlled trial, cross-sectional, case-control, and case reports, case reports examining neonatal outcomes in newborns who have SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. Studies were selected according to criteria around the population, intervention, comparator, outcome(s) of interest, and study design (PICOS framework). All citations and full-text articles were searched by independent five authors. The population that newborns with COVID-19 that confirmed within 28 d of birth are included. The interventions included in COVID-19 infection diagnosed via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or serological. The primary outcomes were Neonatal clinical outcomes. The methodological quality of the studies was appraised using appropriate tools. Strength of the body of evidence was assessed according to the quality assessment tool for quantitative studies (QATQS). Results: The electronic search identified 1051 records that were examined, after evaluating 35 of them were included in the study. Seven studies were research articles and twenty-eight were case reports. Methodological quality was medium. Most of the clinical characteristics of newborns were respiratory difficulty and secondly fever. Some newborns gastrointestinal (GIS) symptoms in the form of diarrhea and feeding intolerance and abdominal distension were present in 50%. The fatality case did not exist in any newborn due to COVID-19. Death occurred in one case due to prematurity. Conclusıons: The most common symptoms in patients with COVID-19 infection in the neonatal period are respiratory tract symptoms and fever. It has been observed that the COVID-19 infection detected in the neonatal period is not fatal. However, data including more cases are needed.

Objective There are limited data regarding the hospital and postdischarge course of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in newborns. This study aimed to present the data of such cases in newborns. Methods We retrospectively evaluated the predischarge and postdischarge records of newborns followed-up in the neonatal intensive care unit between June 2, 2020, and April 30, 2021 and who had positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19. Results Eleven newborns had positive PCR tests for COVID-19 during the study period. The prenatal COVID-19 PCR test of the mothers of the newborns was negative. The cases with a postnatal age of 10 to 60 days according to chronological age were hospitalized due to positive COVID-19 PCR test. Either or both the parents of these cases were severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) PCR positive on nasopharyngeal swab obtained simultaneously. All breast milk samples were negative for COVID-19 virus. The mean D-dimer value of the cases was 3,430 µg FEU/L at the time of hospitalization and 307 µg FEU/L after discharge. None of the cases were given any specific antiviral treatment. The cases were discharged with full recovery. No rehospitalizations or deaths occurred during the 3-month follow-up after discharge. Conclusion In most COVID-19 newborns, the disease was transmitted by infected parents, and the course of the infection was either asymptomatic or associated with only mild symptoms. No complications or deaths were observed during the 3-month follow-up after discharge.

is prevalent throughout the world. It is an infection acquired usually at school age, and lasts lifelong if left untreated. Numerous studies have been conducted concerning the prevalence, contamination routes and risk factors of H. pylori. Its prevalence varies according to age and country (1). How H. pylori is acquired and the contamination routes are clearly not known at present. The commonest route for contamination is oral-oral or fecal-oral. The prevalence has been reported to be high in places with poor hygienic conditions and in crowded living conditions, such as in nurseries, kindergartens and rehabilitation centers, leading to contamination via the fecal-oral route. Various substances, either alive or inorganic, can play a role in H. pylori contamination. However, there are numerous sources that might play a role in contamination in childhood, which have not yet been investigated. Do the toys shared among children play a role in H. pylori contamination? As far as we know, this is the first study that aims to investigate the role of shared kindergarten toys in H. pylori contamination (2,3).