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Splenic rupture in the neonatal period is a rare condition that can be complicated by hemorrhagic shock. The symptoms are not very specific, rendering the diagnosis difficult and often delayed; sometimes only discovered at autopsy. We report five cases diagnosed in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. From these observations and from a review of the literature, the circumstances of the occurrence, the clinical signs, and the therapeutic possibilities are discussed. In the presence of severe anemia with pallor and abdominal distension, particularly in the context of a difficult birth, an abdominal ultrasound must be urgently performed and surgical management promptly considered.Conclusion: This pathology must be known to the neonatologist so that she/he can quickly evoke it, given that it can quickly become life-threatening. What is known: • Splenic rupture in the neonatal period is a rare condition that can be complicated by hemorrhagic shock and quickly lead to the death of the newborn. • The symptoms are not very specific, rendering the diagnosis difficult and often delayed. What is new: • This is the first publication bringing together as many clinical cases on the subject reporting in particular very serious cases to alert the clinician on this pathology and its diagnostic urgency. • We propose a clear therapeutic behavior to help the clinician in his daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the bacteriological quality of breast milk samples destined to direct milk donation to preterm infants under 34 Gestational Weeks (GW) hospitalized in a neonatology and a neonatal intensive care unit of a French university hospital. All samples of breast milk destined to direct milk donation between April 2007 and December 2016 were included. A sample was defined as compliant if its total flora was less than 106 Colony Forming Units per milliliter (CFU/mL) and in the absence of Staphylococcus aureus and other pathogens. A total of 777 samples were taken from 629 mothers. The overall non-compliance rate for the initial sample was 21.3%; 63 samples (10.0%) had a total flora ≥ 106 CFU/mL, 63 (10.0%) were contaminated by a pathogenic bacteria and 8 (1.3%) were non-compliant because of both. An increase of the non-compliance rate was observed between 2008 and 2016 (10.2%-26.1%). The increase of the total flora non-compliance rate began in 2011, in link with the doubling of the number of samples taken, to reach a peak in 2013 then decreased in link with development of portable pump. No statistically significant difference of the presence of S. aureus in breast milk was observed. For the other pathogenic bacteria, the rate increased significantly in 2014. The increase of the non-compliance rate could be explained by a decrease of best practices in milk collection. Education of mothers should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter is commented on by Mineyko and Kirton on pages 892–893 of this issue [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emphasizes the reliability of detection assay and linkage analysis in the diagnosis of severe inherited blood coagulation factor VII (FVII) deficiency. Information on the case of a two-year-old girl with FVII; Overview of prenatal mutation screening; Description of mutation-specific detection assays.