What is neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia?
Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, (NAIT) is caused by maternal antibodies raised against alloantigens carried on fetal platelets. Although many cases are mild, NAIT is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns and is the most common cause of intracranial haemorrhage in full-term infants.
How common is neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia?
Although it is a rare condition, it is the most common cause of severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 50,000/μL), in the fetal and neonatal period and the most common cause of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in term infants. The reported incidence of NAIT is one in 1,000–1,500 live births.
How is alloimmune thrombocytopenia diagnosed?
The primary tests for neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) are an initial CBC with platelet count to confirm thrombocytopenia, followed by a maternal serum test for platelet alloantibodies. (Neonatal samples are discouraged for circulating antibody testing due to insensitivity.
How is NAIT diagnosed?
A diagnosis of NAIT is made by testing the blood of both parents and confirming a suspected diagnosis with fetal or neonatal blood. If a platelet antigen incompatibility exists in the couple, screening for maternal anti-HPA antibodies specific for paternal or neonatal platelet antigens should be performed.
What is alloimmune disease?
Alloimmune hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is a disorder in which the life span of fetal and/or neonatal red cells is shortened as a result of binding of transplacentally transferred maternal immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies on fetal red blood cell (RBC) antigens foreign to the mother, inherited by …
What is neonatal Alloimmune neutropenia?
Neonatal alloimmune neutropenia (NAN) is an uncommon disease of the newborn provoked by the maternal production of neutrophil-specific alloantibodies, whereby neutrophil IgG antibodies cross the placenta and induce the destruction of fetal neutrophils.
Does NAIT run in families?
Naitbabies are a small Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered in the UK and run by families who have been diagnosed with Foetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia FNAIT.
What kind of antibody causes neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia?
A number of different proteins can cause NAIT, about 80% of cases are caused by antibodies against platelet antigen HPA-1a, 15% by anti- HPA-5b, and 5% by other antibodies (e.g. HPA-1b, HPA-15, HPA-3 and HPA-9b).
Is neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia a rare disease?
Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) is a blood disorder that affects pregnant women and their babies. NAIT was first reported in the literature in 1953 and is estimated to occur in as many as 1 in 1200 live births.
What is an example of an alloimmune disease?
Alloimmunity is a type of immunity that produces an immune response against antigens from members of the same species. An example of this is when the body attacks transplanted tissues resulting in graft rejection.
What is the difference between autoimmune and alloimmune?
Alloimmune (isoimmune) response results in graft rejection, which is manifested as deterioration or complete loss of graft function. In contrast, autoimmunity is an immune response to the self’s own antigens. (The allo- prefix means “other”, whereas the auto- prefix means “self”.)
How common is NAIT?
NAIT occurs in somewhere between 1/800 and 1/5000 live births. More recent studies of NAIT seem to indicate that it occurs in around 1/600 live births in the Caucasian population.
What are the symptoms of neonatal sepsis?
Early signs of neonatal sepsis are frequently nonspecific and subtle and do not distinguish among organisms (including viral). Particularly common early signs include. Diminished spontaneous activity. Less vigorous sucking. Anorexia. Apnea. Bradycardia. Temperature instability (hypothermia or hyperthermia)
What is the pathophysiology of neonatal sepsis?
Neonatal Sepsis Pathophysiology. The early-onset type of the infection is usually obtained from the blood stream of the mother or by aspiration or ingestion of contaminated amniotic fluid. In late onset sepsis, bacterial invasion generally occurs through the gated umbilical stump, nose, skin, mucus membranes of the eyes, ear,…
What are the symptoms of heparin induced thrombocytopenia?
Reduced blood platelet count
What is neonatal anemia?
Neonatal anemia is defined by a hemoglobin or hematocrit concentration of greater than 2 standard deviations below the mean for postnatal age.1 The etiology of neonatal anemia is commonly subdivided into three major categories: blood loss, decreased production, and increased destruction of erythrocytes (Box 1).