[Initial experience with monoclonal antibodies in therapy of life threatening nosocomial infections in the neonatal period].

Despite the use of modern broad spectrum antibiotics nosocomial infections are an unsolved problem, especially in the field of neonatal intensive care (preterm babies and newborns). In patients with septic shock human monoclonal antibodies in combination with appropriate antibiotics have proven effective and compatible for children older than one year. So far, there have been no reports in the literature on the application of such kind of antiendotoxin immunotherapy for pre-term babies and newborns. We describe the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies in two newborns. Already 12 respectively 16 hours after application of the human monoclonal IgM antibodies (Centoxin) and appropriate antibiotics, the clinical condition of our patients stabilized. Consecutively further clinical symptoms improved rapidly.