Babies can get many kinds of infections. Babies can also get localized infections under the skin called abscesses or infections of the skin. Infections can start before birth, near the time of birth, or while the baby is in the nursery.
Babies have an inexperienced immune system.
They have not had time to build up their own antibodies to fight infection. Preemie babies get fewer antibodies from their mothers since most antibodies go across the placenta to the baby in the last few months of pregnancy. Preemie babies often have intravenous catheters. These may serve as routes of entry for bacteria. Preemie babies frequently are given antibiotics for infections.