Omphalitis

Abstract

The umbilical cord as a vital port conveying the whole embryonic blood from the mother, will be changed to a daed scar after delivery within 2 weeks, this critical change may pass smoothly if the circumstance around the umbilical stump is optimal, but if this stump contaminated with pathogenic bacteria or the immunity of the baby compromised, umbilical stump could be a potential port for entry of pathogenic microorganisms, not only to the skin around umbilicus, but also to portal and systemic circulation, ending with a significant morbidity and mortality. Common cases of omphalitis are those affecting the umbilicus after separation of umbilical stump, rarely adult or an elder may have an omphalitis secondary to bacterial or other pathogenic infection, also non infectious inflammation of the umbilical scar are called omphalitis; but it is actually a sort of dermatitis. Neonatal omphalitis at one time was a common cause of mortality in neonates allover the world, nowadays with the application of potent antiseptics to the cord stump especially in the western countries, and after application of the preventive guidelines, published by WHO, the incidence has decreased remarkably. The incidence is now between 0.5 and 2%. The mean age of developing omphalitis is 3.2 days, and most cases occur outside the hospitals. Although the preventive measure are effective in reducing this sort of infection, medical treatment is simple and curative, but undetected or neglected cases may end with lethal outcome.