omphalitis

Omphalitis can quickly progress to sepsis and presents a potentially life-threatening infection.

Omphalitis is most commonly caused by bacteria.

Omphalitis is the medical term for infection of the umbilical cord stump in the neonatal newborn period.

In fact, even in cases of omphalitis without evidence of more serious infection such as necrotizing fasciitis, mortality is high (in the 10% range).

Infections such as omphalitis, pneumonia, gingivitis, and peritonitis are common and often life-threatening due to the infant's inability to properly destroy the invading pathogens.

Like many bacterial infections, omphalitis is more common in those patients who have a weakened or deficient immune system or who are hospitalized and subject to invasive procedures.