Early-onset neonatal sepsis and meningitis are associated with an increased risk for childhood epilepsy, according to a study published online July 7 in JAMA Network Open.
Mads Andersen, M.D., from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues examined the association between early-onset neonatal infection and childhood epilepsy in a nationwide, population-based, register-based cohort study of all Danish live-born singletons between 1997 and 2013 with at least 35 completed gestational weeks at birth without major congenital anomalies.
The median gestational age was 40 weeks among 981,869 children (51% male). Of these, 8,154 and 152 (0.8 and meningitis (incidence rate ratios, 9.85 and 16.04, respectively).
“These findings suggest that improved prevention and treatment of early bacterial infections may help reduce the risk of childhood epilepsy,” the authors write.
One author disclosed receiving grants from MinervaX Aps.
More information:
Mads Andersen et al, Early-Onset Neonatal Infection and Epilepsy in Children, JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.19090
Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Citation:
Early-onset neonatal sepsis linked to childhood epilepsy (2025, July 11)
retrieved 11 July 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-early-onset-neonatal-sepsis-linked.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Early-onset neonatal sepsis and meningitis are associated with an increased risk for childhood epilepsy, according to a study published online July 7 in JAMA Network Open.
Mads Andersen, M.D., from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues examined the association between early-onset neonatal infection and childhood epilepsy in a nationwide, population-based, register-based cohort study of all Danish live-born singletons between 1997 and 2013 with at least 35 completed gestational weeks at birth without major congenital anomalies.
The median gestational age was 40 weeks among 981,869 children (51% male). Of these, 8,154 and 152 (0.8 and meningitis (incidence rate ratios, 9.85 and 16.04, respectively).
“These findings suggest that improved prevention and treatment of early bacterial infections may help reduce the risk of childhood epilepsy,” the authors write.
One author disclosed receiving grants from MinervaX Aps.
More information:
Mads Andersen et al, Early-Onset Neonatal Infection and Epilepsy in Children, JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.19090
Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Citation:
Early-onset neonatal sepsis linked to childhood epilepsy (2025, July 11)
retrieved 11 July 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-early-onset-neonatal-sepsis-linked.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
