Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is severe multifactorial disease of gastrointestinal tract affecting mainly preterm newborns. Disease breaks out suddenly and has a very fast course.
Clinically, the disease is manifested by systemic and abdominal symptoms. The main risk f actors of NEC are immaturity of gut barrier and immune system, enteral feeding and abnormal microbial colonization of the gut.
Long-term hospitalization in neonatal intensive care units, formula feeding and antibiotic therapy do not allow the proper development of the gut barrier and setting the proper function and regulation of immune system of the newborn. Impaired immunity due to a weak immune response leads to bacterial overgrowth and excessive burden of the intestinal barrier.
On the o ther hand activation of immature and poorly regulated immune system can lead to damage of the gut barrier due to strong inflammatory response. The gut barrier damage leads to the translocation of microbes from the gut lumen and to amplification of the inflammatory response.
In this manner can the poorly regulated immune and weak immune response lead to a severe inflammation that leads to the destruction of the intestinal wall.