Introduction: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among newborn infants. Sepsis is a complex syndrome that is initiated by infection and is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response. The inflammatory cascade is a complicated process that involves humoral and cellular responses, complement, and cytokine cascades. Recently, genetic variation in crucial genes in the inflammatory response and coagulation pathways has been the focus for innovative research aiming to elucidate the mechanisms behind sepsis, in particular, identification of genetic variation in TLRs.
Objectives: to investigate the association between the prescence of certain genetic polymorphisms of toll-like receptor type 2 genotype and risk, severity, prognosis and outcome of gram-positive bacterial sepsis in neonates in NICU at Zagazig University Childern Hospital.
Methods: This is a case–control study , 72 subjects were included in the present study divided into two groups; group I : 36 healthy newborns as control group, group II: 36 bacteremic cases with early or late onset neonatal sepsis. For Detection of TLR2 (Arg753Gln) polymorphisms, blood specimens were collected in vacutainer tubes containing EDTA then DNA extraction was performed and determination of the TLR 2 gene polymorphisms was accomplished by PCR followed by RFLP.
Results: TLR2 (Arg753Gln) polymorphism was detected in 3 subjects (8.3%) in the sepsis group, while it was not detected in the control group
Conclusion: There is no significant association between TLR2 Arg753Glu polymorphism and severity or prognosis of gram-positive bacterial sepsis in neonates.