Abstract
Objective: Neonatal bacterial infections are a leading cause of mortality in developing countries, including Benin. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological, clinical and bacteriological aspects of neonatal bacterial infections and their outcomes in the neonatal care unit of the Borgou Regional University Teaching Hospital (CHUD-Borgou). Study design: This manuscript described a cross-sectional study with prospective data collection and an analytical purpose that was performed over the course of 3 months. It was conducted in the neonatal care unit of CHUD-Borgou and focused on 203 newborns who were admitted for suspected bacterial infection. Results: Neonatal bacterial infections accounted for 63.75% of admissions. The sex ratio was 1:1. Prematurity was the main reason for admission (25.1%), and respiratory distress was the most common physical symptom (22.2%). From a bacteriological point of view, 14.7% of blood cultures were positive, and the main isolated pathogens were Escherichia coli (35.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (21.5%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.3%). These pathogens were more sensitive to aminoglycosides than to other antibiotics. Lethality was 21.6%. Place of birth (p < 10-3), age of the newborn at admission (p = 0.003) and maternal history of infectious diseases during pregnancy (p = 0.02) were factors associated with neonatal bacterial infections. Conclusion: This study identified the main pathogens responsible for neonatal bacterial infections and their level of sensitivity to antibiotics. It also determined the different factors associated with neonatal bacterial infections that should be considered in newborn care.
Highlights
Neonatal infection is a global public health issue
The differences noted between the frequencies of neonatal bacterial infections in those Sub-Saharan African countries may be a result of the different methodological approaches used and the criteria governing neonatal bacterial infection diagnosis
More than two out of three newborns who were hospitalized in the CUHD-Borgou neonatal care unit had a neonatal bacterial infection
Summary
Neonatal infection is a global public health issue. According to WHO, globally, infection is the leading cause of mortality. In a joint report from WHO, UNICEF, USAID and UNFPA, neonatal bacterial infection is one of the top three causes of newborn death in Africa, ahead of prematurity and prenatal asphyxia [1]. Its etiological diagnosis faces enormous difficulties in countries with limited resources such as Benin. The consequence of this situation is an excessive diagnosis of neonatal infection and the over-prescription of antibiotics. The aim of this research work was to investigate the epidemiological, clinical and etiological aspects of neonatal bacterial infections and their outcomes
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