PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE ED - BMJ Publishing Group Ltd TI - Antibacterial chemotherapy in the newborn AID - 10.1136/dtb.19.4.13 DP - 1981 Feb 13 TA - Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin PG - 13--16 VI - 19 IP - 4 4099 - http://dtb.bmj.com/content/19/4/13.short 4100 - http://dtb.bmj.com/content/19/4/13.full SO - Drug Ther Bull1981 Feb 13; 19 AB - The newborn is immunologically immature and at risk of infection. Bacterial infection is usually acquired during or soon after birth, rather than in utero. Preterm and low-birth-weight babies are at special risk; prolonged rupture of the membranes, maternal infection, and difficulties in delivery all increase the risk of infection.