MICROORGANISMS IMPLICATED IN NEOTATAL SEPSIS AND THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY IN A PART OF NORTH EAST INDIA

Abstract

Background:Neonatal sepsis is the leading cause of newborn mortality and morbidity worldwide. The spectrum of microorganisms shows wide variation in different regions of the world and also in different hospitals of the same region. In this study we have tried to find out the common bacterial organisms causing neonatal sepsis in our region and their antibiotic susceptibility. Method: It is a hospital based observational study conducted in one of the busiest hospitals of Jorhat over a period of 18 months. Blood culture reports of all patients were traced from the hospital laboratory data. Positive culture reports for bacterial sepsis were studied and analysed statistically. Result:Total 602 blood cultures were performed during the study period out of which 46(7.6%) were bacterial culture positive. Twenty-seven(59%) were Early Onset sepsis and 19(41%) were Late onset sepsis. Male-female ratio was 1.7:1. Most common organism causing bacterial sepsis was Klebsiella Pneumoniae(28%), second was Acinetobacter baumani(22%), third was Staphylococcus aureus (20%), followed by Enterococcus (17%), E coli (9%) and finally CoNS(4%). Twenty-seven(59%) were gram positive organisms (67% caused EONS and 33% caused LONS)and 19(41%) were Gram Negative(58% caused EONS and 42% caused LONS). Levofloxacin had highest sensitivity to all the microorganisms. Conclusion:Neonatal sepsis can be treated with judicious use of antibiotics by studying the common microbial strains in the region and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Antibiotic stewardship should be stressed upon in every institution to protect patients from harm caused by unnecessary antibiotic use and combat the most dangerous threat of antibiotic resistance to the world.