Clinico-bacteriological profile of neonatal sepsis

Abstract

Background: Neonatal sepsis is the commonest cause of neonatal mortality responsible for about 30-50% of total neonatal deaths in developing countries. Surveillance of causative organisms and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern promotes rational use of antibiotics and antibiotic stewardship.Methods: A retrospective study, relevant data regarding the neonates diagnosed with culture positive sepsis was obtained from the case records during the period from July 2014 to June 2017. Culture positive sepsis was defined as isolation of bacterial pathogen from blood in neonates with clinical suspicion of sepsis.Results: Of the 414 neonates with clinical suspicion of sepsis, 110 neonates had blood culture positive sepsis. Sepsis was predominant in males (64.5%). Low birth weight (47.2%) and prematurity (40.9 %) were important neonatal risk factors for sepsis. Early onset sepsis occurred in 58.1% of the cases and late onset sepsis in 41.9% of the neonates. Gram-positive cocci constituted 67.52% of all isolates and gram negative 30.76%. The most frequently isolated organism in blood was methicillin resistant coagulase negative staphylococcus(MRCONS) (32.47%). Gram positive organisms included MRCONS, methicillin resistant Staphylococci aureus (MRSA), group B Streptococci (GBS), Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococci. Among Gram-negative organisms, Acinetobacter was most frequently isolated followed by Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Citrobacter and Burkholderia species. The mortality in the study group was 13.5%. Gram negative organisms were most resistant to ampicillin and cephalosporins. Gram positive isolates were least resistant to vancomycin and linezolid.Conclusions: Gram positive sepsis was the most common type of sepsis among the neonates, although mortality was more in gram negative sepsis.