Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in the intensive care unit and is associated with major morbidity and mortality.The current study was done in order to determine the incidence, risk factors, mortality and organisms causing nosocomial pneumonia in ventilated patients in Neonatal Intenisve care unit (NICU).This study was conducted in Children’s Hospital, NICU, Zagazig University and included 56 patients on mechanical ventilation for more than 2 days of duration.According to CPIS, 32 patients were diagnosed clinically as VAP (group I) and the other 24 patients didn’t develop pneumonia and were assigned as non VAP (group II).All studied neonates were subjected to the following:1. Full medical history.2. Clinical examination.3. Laboratory investigations : CBC, CRP, urea, creatinine, albumin, CBG.4. Radiological investigations in the form of chest x-ray.The results of the present study showed that incidence of VAP was 57.1% following CPIS significantly higher than non VAP patients.الملخص باللغة العربيةThe IL-13Rα1 polymorphism at position +1398A/G was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP), and eosinophil count was recorded.Results:There was a significant increase in serum IL-13Rα2 in the three atopic groups when compared with controls (P<0.001). And there was a significant increase in total IgE levels and eosinophil counts. No significant association of +1398A/G polymorphism with risk of asthma or atopy was found apart from a suggestive association between the IL13Rα1 1398A>G and raised total serum immunoglobulin E levels in all atopic groups (P<0.001).Conclusions:These findings indicate that the interleukin-13 receptor α2 has a great role in the control of atopy and its increased level in different groups indicates its regulatory role in the development of atopic symptoms. The interleukin-13 receptor α1 subunit gene +1398A\G polymorphisms do not contribute to atopy susceptibility or severity, although the interleukin receptor α1 subunit gene locus might be involved in the control of immunoglobulin E production.