Bacteria Linked To Sudden Baby Deaths

British Researchers Think Bacteria May Contribute To Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

(AP)  A baffling phenomenon known as sudden infant death syndrome is one of the leading causes of death for children under 1. Now, British researchers say they may have found a contributing factor: bacteria.

They found potentially dangerous bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli in nearly half of all babies who died suddenly and without explanation over a decade at a London hospital. Their findings are in Friday's Lancet medical journal.

"This may be another piece to the puzzle," said Marian Willinger, a SIDS expert at the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development who was not connected to the British study.

The researchers cautioned, however, that while the bacteria were found in the SIDS babies, that does not necessarily mean the bugs were responsible. Bacterial infections have long been suspected by some doctors to play a role in SIDS.

"We don't know whether it's a cause or if it's identifying another potential risk factor," said Dr. Nigel Klein, a professor at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, where the study was conducted, and one of the paper's authors.

He said that the higher level of bacteria might be evidence of another condition that killed the baby, such as a room that was too hot or had poor ventilation. Or it may have been coincidental.

A SIDS diagnosis means that no other cause of death can be found in an otherwise healthy infant who dies suddenly, usually in their sleep. In the United States, SIDS kills more than 2,000 infants every year.

The researchers used autopsy samples from 470 infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly between 1996 and 2005. They found dangerous bacteria in 181 babies, or nearly half of the 365 whose deaths were unexplained. There were similar bacteria in about a quarter (14 of 53) of the babies who died of known causes, excluding those who died of bacterial infections.

Most of the bacteria were detected in the babies' lungs and spleens.

At birth, mothers transfer some of their antibodies against infection to their babies. But when babies are from 8 to 10 weeks old, the maternal antibodies have nearly run out and the babies typically have not started producing enough of their own.

That could make them particularly vulnerable to bacterial infections, said James Morris, a pathologist at the Royal Infirmary in Lancaster, who co-authored an accompanying commentary in the journal.

SIDS typically strikes when babies are between 8 and 10 weeks old.

"The study is a good indicator that certain bacteria might be involved in causing sudden infant deaths," he said.

Willinger suggested that bacterial infections in infants might simply aggravate other risk factors for SIDS, such as smoke exposure or babies sleeping on their stomachs.

"The bacteria in combination with other co-factors might push these babies over the edge," she said.

Recommendations for preventing SIDS include putting babies to sleep on their backs and avoiding putting too many blankets on them.

The study was paid for by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, a British charity.

[grammawhamma]

brainteaser2: I know "Back to Sleep" is what they have taught for the past several years. Have SIDS deaths gone down since then? IMO infants sleep better while on their stomachs.

A healthy normal newborn has no problem turning it''s head from side to side when placed on it''s stomach (if on a firm mattress and not subject to loose bedding). I would think a newborn placed on it''s back to sleep would be at increased risk for aspiration if it vomits (which many newborns do).

What is your professional opinion?

[h5mind]

Mandatory vaccinations are the biggest scams ever to come out of the pharmaceutical industry. There are more than 35 shots now ''recomended'' for children. For the medical professionals who still claim there is no connection between vaccinations and disorders such as SIDS, autism, auto-immune disorders, diabetes, etc, please explain how unvaccinated populations such as the Amish do not suffer from them? I''m all for medicine that prevents illness. But too much recent evidence is showing vaccines to be, at best, ineffective, and at worst, extremely dangerous to the health of both children and adults. And in spite of Bush''s campaign promises to the contrary, mercury is still being used in these concoctions. As a chilling footnote to this medical farce, once a vaccine is government mandated, pharmaceuticals enjoy immunity from prosecution due to any possible side effects, even those causing permanent injury or death.

[brainteaser2]

I am an Ob of 30+ years. Sids is well known and unexplained and totally unpredictable. It has no relation to immunization or other events. It is felt to be related to the position a child is put down for sleep - on the back is best. I''m sorry to say this but to the about to be new mothers above (yes you show) no babies can''t be tested for every bad germ in the world. Life is a dangerous journey and we can''t protect our children from all harm even though maternal/paternal instinct tells us we must. Parenthood involves letting go almost from the start.

[questionnews]

gopsoccermom

They just discovered an uncontacted hostile tribe of natives in Brazil. They could really use your help. Make sure you sneak up them so you can surprise them. They love surprises.

[nothappyatall]

Weak genes...

[susieq_13]

I was told my daughter had Near Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Has anyone ever heard of that? She was 2 months old when she quit breathing. They couldn''t find anything else wrong, so they said Near Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Come to find out, it was her first set immunizations that caused her to nearly die. Now she''s 17 with the mind of a 2 month old baby. And there is nothing any one can do. The government screwed me on this one.
PS...what''s up with gopsoccermom? That person needs to get a life!

[ladyjaneg]

Is there any way to test for this? I mean, any way to prevent infant death? I hope so.

[drinuk]

gopsoccermom, you are a retarded idiot scum, the sooner your life is set in concrete never mind limbo.

Jeeez you are some Crtein.

[mmstar20]

i''m curious - is there a test done on all newborns to check for such dangerous bacteria?

[gopsoccermom]

iplaydrums17, when you use your special ID, do you put on leotards and a cape too?

[gopsoccermom]

cutnupnstyle, I am just trying to save souls.

[iplaydrums17]

i don''t have all the answers. and i definitely don''t know why bad things happen to good people and why there is so much pain in the world. i do know that there is a God who loves and cares so much for us that he made up for our lack of ability to make ourselves right. if God loves infinitely more than any of us can comprehend, then i have no doubt that he would accept the souls of babies and children in heaven who have yet the mental capacity to understand and choose to confess their love and devotion to him. i have no issue with you. just your comments. i hope we can share peace and hope in a time of disaster and pressing issues.

[iplaydrums17]

gopsoccermom, your comments are lude, uninsightful, ridiculous and grossly uniformed. i was so disgusted by comments from people like you that i actually created an id so that i could help set the record straight when folks skew the truth and leak verbal vomit out of ingnorance. you''ve gone too long on these posts without reprimand for your blind, insensitve statements.
there is no scriptural basis for your comment. baptism no insurance of salvation. it is however a declaration or a statement of the change and decision to travel a different path when a person decides to follow christ. romans 10:9-10 states "...if you confess with your mouth, ''jesus is lord,'' and you believe in your hearth that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. for it is with you heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
to be continued...

[armydog2]

soccermom, quit trolling and get a life.

[cutnupnstyle]

this is in response to the person that said babies not baptized would spend eternity in limbo. that is absolutely hog wash. read your Bible. ""Suffer little children and come unto me"" meaning they are the innocent ones. until they reach the age of accountablity they will spend eternity in Heaven with the Father. the age of accountability is when they reach the age that they know right from wrong and can make a commitment to Christ as their Lord and Savior. no infant is going to be turn away from the Gates of Heaven. I had a still-born grand-son. to think that he is out there in limbo, innocent of all wrong doing is absurd! again i say, READ YOUR BIBLE ! ! thank you very much.

[pollroller1]

My granddaughter just gave berth to our first great grand child. I don''t know if I could bear the pain of something like that happening to that beautiful baby.