Neonatal Blood Cultures Research Articles

Time to positivity of Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus In Neonatal Blood Cultures as an adjunct tool to help discriminate between sepsis and contamination.

To assess the usefulness of time to positivity (TTP) to distinguish between sepsis and contamination in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates. Unicentric retrospective observational. Medical records of 168 patients with suspected sepsis and positive blood culture for CoNS were reviewed. Patients were subdivided into sepsis (29%) and probable contamination (71%). Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate different risk factors and clinical signs and symptoms associated with sepsis. TTP cut-off value that best discriminated sepsis from contamination was found to be 18 h. Regression analysis revealed that TTP ≤ 18 h, gestational age ≤32 weeks, taquycardia/bradycardia and hypoactivity/lethargy were independent predictors of sepsis. TTP is useful in distinguishing sepsis from contamination, especially in neonates with lower gestational age (<32 weeks). The clinical signs that most increase the discriminatory power of TTP are the presence of tachycardia/bradycardia or hypoactivity.

Early onset neonatal sepsis and its associatited factors: a cross sectional study

BackgroundSepsis is the 3rd leading cause of neonatal mortality in Ethiopia contributing to 16% of neonatal death. In a hospital study, neonatal sepsis was the leading diagnosis at admission and the second leading cause of neonatal death at the neonatal intensive care unit. Among other factors repeated vaginal examination during labor is known to contribute to sepsis in low-income settings. However, there is limited evidence in the Ethiopian setting.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the association between early-onset neonatal sepsis and repeated vaginal examinations.MethodsThe study was conducted at Gandhi Memorial Hospital, a public maternity and newborn care hospital. We followed 672 mother-newborn pairs by phone until 7 days of age to detect clinical sepsis. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Adjusted odds ratio risk (AOR) with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to show the strength of associations and variables with p-value < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.ResultsThe incidence of early-onset neonatal sepsis was found to be 20.83% (95% CI 17.60, 24.00). Having a frequent vaginal examination (four or more times) during labor and delivery, prolonged rupture of membranes, induced labor and gestational age < 37 weeks were strongly associated with the development of early-onset neonatal sepsis, (AOR 2. 69;95 CI: 1.08, 6.70) AOR 5.12(95% CI 1.31, 20.00), AOR of 5.24 (95% CI 1.72, AOR4.34 (95% CI 1.20, 15.68), 16.00), respectively.ConclusionFrequent digital vaginal examination prolonged rupture of membranes, induced labor and gestational age < 37 weeks significantly increases the risk of early onset neonatal sepsis. We also recommend further study using neonatal blood culture to better diagnose early onset neonatal sepsis objectively.

Evaluating EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility test from positive neonatal blood culture directly against the golden standard disc diffusion method in a tertiary hospital

Evaluating EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility test from positive neonatal blood culture directly against the golden standard disc diffusion method in a tertiary hospital

Characterization of blaOXA-232 carrying carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) & their expression profiles under selective carbapenem pressure: An in-depth study from India.

Background & objectives OXA-232 is a five amino acid substitution variant of OXA-48 and is reported in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), which is associated with nosocomial infections among immunocompromised patients in the intensive care unit. This study aimed to characterise blaOXA-232 in CRKP of clinical origin and investigate its transcriptional response against sub-inhibitory levels of carbapenems. Methods CRKP was isolated from blood (pathogens) and stool cultures (colonisers) of neonates and was characterized for blaOXA-232. Co-existing resistance determinants were investigated in blaOXA-232 positive isolates, followed by horizontal gene transferability assay and PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT). Cloning of blaOXA-232 was performed, and expression of blaOXA-232 in the isolates and their clones under sub-inhibitory concentrations of carbapenems was checked via RT-PCR. Mobile genetic elements associated with blaOXA-232 were investigated, followed by DNA fingerprinting through enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) PCR. Results blaOXA-232 with co-carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), sulphonamides and quinolones were identified in seven CRPK isolates recovered from blood samples of neonates. Transformation and cloning of blaOXA-232 was successful. The sub-inhibitory concentration of carbapenems induces elevated expression of this resistant determinant. ISEcp1 was associated with blaOXA-232 in the upstream region within two haplotypes of CRKP isolates of clinical origin. Interpretation & conclusions Selective carbapenem pressure resulted in higher expression of this gene, which could account for treatment failure. With frequent reports of occurrence among clinical isolates, monitoring and further investigation of this novel variant are necessary to understand its transmission dynamics and to thwart its further dissemination.

Susceptibility pattern of bacteria isolated from blood cultures of neonates admitted with sepsis at a tertiary care hospital

Susceptibility pattern of bacteria isolated from blood cultures of neonates admitted with sepsis at a tertiary care hospital

Four-Year Bacteriological Profile and Antibiotic Resistance Rate of Neonatal Blood Cultures in a Major Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Shiraz, Southwest Iran

Background: Bacterial infections are the leading cause of death in newborns. The growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is a major concern. In this study, we identified isolates from blood cultures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a major referral hospital in Shiraz in southwest Iran and determined antibiotic resistance patterns. Methods: All newborns admitted to the NICU were evaluated in a four-year study. The blood samples were cultured using a BACTEC system. From May 2015 to March 2020, 5937 blood culture samples were analyzed. The antibacterial sensitivity test was conducted using the disk diffusion method, following the guidelines of Clinical &amp; Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2018. Results: In this study, 507 isolates were obtained from 5937 specimens. The most commonly isolated gram-negative bacteria were Acinetobacter (8.7%), Escherichia coli (5.7%), Klebsiella (1.6%), Enterobacter (1.4%), and Pseudomonas (0.9%). Among the gram-positive bacteria, coagulase-positive staphylococci (51.1%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (15.4%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (10.2%), non-hemolytic streptococci (2.4%), alpha-hemolytic streptococci (1.4%), and Streptococcus pneumonia (1.3%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria. Of the 318 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 88.5% were resistant to methicillin. Conclusion: Staphylococcus, with a high frequency in the NICU, can be an alarm for medical centers. Also, in dead infants, the most observed bacterial infection was Acinetobacter infection, which requires the serious attention of the hospital infection control unit.

Isolation, Identification And Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Of Bacterial Pathogens From Blood Cultures Of Neonates With Clinical Signs Of Sepsis In A Tertiary Care Centre

Isolation, Identification And Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Of Bacterial Pathogens From Blood Cultures Of Neonates With Clinical Signs Of Sepsis In A Tertiary Care Centre

Umbilical cord blood culture for early onset sepsis in preterm infants.

Umbilical cord blood culture (UCBC) may have a diagnostic utility for early onset sepsis (EOS) detection in preterm infants. It may prevent sampling the newborn and collect a higher volume of blood for pathogenic identification. Retrospective analysis at a tertiary care center in Canada of preterm infants ≤ 34 0/7 weeks' gestation with UCBC taken at birth. Of 505 admitted infants, 195 had UCBC. 170 UCBCs were negative; 44 of these had also negative neonatal blood culture (NBC). No infants with negative UCBC showed EOS symptoms in the first week of life. 25 UCBCs were positive: 18 were contaminants (all with negative NBC) and 7 were confirmed as EOS. 18 infants with UCBC contaminants remained asymptomatic. 7 EOS cases were identified, with varying bacteriological profiles; 5 displayed sepsis symptoms while 2 were asymptomatic. Risk of EOS increased with prolonged rupture of membranes. UCBC effectively detected EOS establishing it as a method with possibly better diagnostic performance than NBC in high-risk neonates. Further studies are needed to improve UCBC technique and lower contamination rates. Umbilical cord blood culture has a higher bacterial identification rate than peripheral venous blood culture for the early identification of early-onset sepsis in preterm infants. Umbilical cord blood cultures that showed no growth were reliable predictors of not developing early onset sepsis. Umbilical cord blood culture should be considered as part of the evaluation for early onset sepsis in the preterm infants.

The clinical significance of CRP and IL-6 in early recognition of neonatal sepsis

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine serum CRP and IL-6 levels in confirmed and clinically suspected groups of neonatal sepsis and these biochemical parameters are being compared with blood culture of neonates with clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis. Material and Methods: The samples of 180 suspected cases of neonatal sepsis were sent to pathology department. Out of them 92 were proven positive for blood culture and were considered as confirmed septic group while rests were included in clinically suspected group. Blood culture was performed on BACT/ALERT® 3D. Serum CRP was performed by immunoturidimetric method on AU 680 Beckman Coulter and IL-6 measurement was done on Access 2. Results: The serum CRP and IL-6 levels were higher in confirmed sepsis group and their levels were in correspondence to severity of infection. At cut off values of &gt;10mg/L, CRP showed sensitivity of 94%, and specificity of 74% while at cut off of &gt;35ng/L, IL-6 had sensitivity and specificity of 70% and 88% respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that CRP was a highly sensitive marker and IL-6 was a more specific for detection of neonatal sepsis. Keywords: neonatal sepsis, CRP, IL-6

Blood culture versus antibiotic use for neonatal inpatients in 61 hospitals implementing with the NEST360 Alliance in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThirty million small and sick newborns worldwide require inpatient care each year. Many receive antibiotics for clinically diagnosed infections without blood cultures, the current ‘gold standard’ for neonatal infection detection. Low neonatal blood culture use hampers appropriate antibiotic use, fuelling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which threatens newborn survival. This study analysed the gap between blood culture use and antibiotic prescribing in hospitals implementing with Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360) in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania.MethodsInpatient data from every newborn admission record (July 2019–August 2022) were included to describe hospital-level blood culture use and antibiotic prescription. Health Facility Assessment data informed performance categorisation of hospitals into four tiers: (Tier 1) no laboratory, (Tier 2) laboratory but no microbiology, (Tier 3) neonatal blood culture use < 50% of newborns receiving antibiotics, and (Tier 4) neonatal blood culture use > 50%.ResultsA total of 144,146 newborn records from 61 hospitals were analysed. Mean hospital antibiotic prescription was 70% (range = 25–100%), with 6% mean blood culture use (range = 0–56%). Of the 10,575 blood cultures performed, only 24% (95%CI 23–25) had results, with 10% (10–11) positivity. Overall, 40% (24/61) of hospitals performed no blood cultures for newborns. No hospitals were categorised as Tier 1 because all had laboratories. Of Tier 2 hospitals, 87% (20/23) were District hospitals. Most hospitals could do blood cultures (38/61), yet the majority were categorised as Tier 3 (36/61). Only two hospitals performed > 50% blood cultures for newborns on antibiotics (Tier 4).ConclusionsThe two Tier 4 hospitals, with higher use of blood cultures for newborns, underline potential for higher blood culture coverage in other similar hospitals. Understanding why these hospitals are positive outliers requires more research into local barriers and enablers to performing blood cultures. Tier 3 facilities are missing opportunities for infection detection, and quality improvement strategies in neonatal units could increase coverage rapidly. Tier 2 facilities could close coverage gaps, but further laboratory strengthening is required. Closing this culture gap is doable and a priority for advancing locally-driven antibiotic stewardship programmes, preventing AMR, and reducing infection-related newborn deaths.

The relevance of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus isolates in blood culture in the context of a tertiary neonatal unit from East India

Background: Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) are known commensals and often contaminate neonatal blood cultures. Their unique ability to form biofilms, however, helps them evade immune mechanisms and antibiotics and cause neonatal sepsis (NS) in hospitalized neonates. True or probable Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus blood stream infection (CoNS BSI) must be differentiated from contaminants so that antibiotics are used judiciously and hospital stay is minimized. Aims and Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to estimate the proportion of NS and contaminants among CoNS-positive blood cultures in the index neonatal unit and the host and health-care variables associated with CoNS BSI. The secondary objective was to estimate the susceptibility of CoNS isolates to antibiotics used. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study from digital records, from January 2018 to December 2022. Results: 25% of CoNS isolates were associated with NS (health-care infections) and 75% were contaminants. Over 90% of CoNS BSI was associated with central lines (CLs) and prolonged hospital stay. All isolates were resistant to oxacillin while resistance to gentamicin rose annually to over 68%. Susceptibility to linezolid and vancomycin was present, but a few strains were resistant to them. Conclusion: CoNS were an important cause of NS in the index hospital. Prolonged hospital stays and CLs were associated with increased incidence of CoNS sepsis and must be minimized where possible. Antibiotic resistance was high, and reserve drugs could also become ineffective.

Bloodstream infections in neonates with central venous catheters in three tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Pune, India.

Neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at risk for healthcare-associated infections, including central line-associated bloodstream infections. We aimed to characterize the epidemiology of bloodstream infections among neonates with central venous catheters admitted to three Indian NICUs. We conducted a prospective cohort study in three tertiary NICUs, from May 1, 2017 until July 31, 2019. All neonates admitted to the NICU were enrolled and followed until discharge, transfer, or death. Cases were defined as positive blood cultures in neonates with a central venous catheter in place for greater than 2 days or within 2 days of catheter removal. During the study period, 140 bloodstream infections were identified in 131 neonates with a central venous catheter. The bloodstream infection rate was 11.9 per 1000 central line-days. Gram-negative organisms predominated, with 38.6% of cases caused by Klebsiella spp. and 14.9% by Acinetobacter spp. Antimicrobial resistance was prevalent among Gram-negative isolates, with 86.9% resistant to third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins, 63.1% to aminoglycosides, 61.9% to fluoroquinolones, and 42.0% to carbapenems. Mortality and length of stay were greater in neonates with bloodstream infection than in neonates without bloodstream infection (unadjusted analysis, p < 0.001). We report a high bloodstream infection rate among neonates with central venous catheters admitted to three tertiary care NICUs in India. Action to improve infection prevention and control practices in the NICU is needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with BSI in this high-risk population.

Umbilical Cord Blood IgA Levels and Bacterial Profile in Preterm Neonates Born with Maternal Risk Factors for Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis.

To investigate the IgA levels and bacterial profile in umbilical cord blood (UCB) samples of mothers with risk factors compared to those without risk factors; and to understand the link between UCB culture positivity and neonatal outcomes [early-onset sepsis (EOS) or death within 7 d of life]. This is a pilot prospective case-control study. Mothers with preterm deliveries (gestational age <34 wk) were enrolled in two groups- Cases: Those with antenatal risk factors (prolonged duration of rupture of membranes of ≥24h or chorioamnionitis) and controls: Those without these two risk factors. Serum IgA levels was assayed and microbiological culture was tested in UCB samples. 16S sequencing to determine the UCB microbiome was performed in a subset of samples (n = 15). Neonates were followed-up for the occurrence of EOS or death until 7 d of life. Forty-nine mothers as cases and 50 mothers as controls were consecutively enrolled. No significant difference was observed in the IgA levels (60.5 vs. 58.1mg/L; p = 0.71), neonatal blood culture positivity (4.1% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.41) and UCB culture positivity (30.6% vs. 26.0%; p = 0.61) in the two groups.No difference was observed between the groups in occurrence of EOS or death within 7 d of life. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the most abundant phyla. Serratia, Bifidobacterium, Collinsella, Meganomas and Blautia being the most common genera. Cord blood IgA concentration could not differentiate the neonates at-risk of infection due to its presence in both the groups.

A real-world cost-effectiveness study of vancomycin versus linezolid for the treatment of late-onset neonatal sepsis in the NICU in China

Background and objectiveCurrently, the detection rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) in the blood cultures of neonates with sepsis exceed the national average drug resistance level, and vancomycin and linezolid are the primary antibacterial drugs used for these resistant bacteria according to the results of etiological examinations. However, a comprehensive evaluation of their costs and benefits in late-onset neonatal sepsis in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has not been conducted. This study aimed to compare the cost and effectiveness of vancomycin and linezolid in treating neonatal sepsis in the NICU.MethodsA cost-effectiveness analysis of real-world data was carried out by retrospective study in our hospital, and the cost and effectiveness of vancomycin and linezolid were compared by establishing a decision tree model. The drug doses in the model were 0.6 g for linezolid and 0.5 g for vancomycin. The cost break down included cost of medical ward, NICU stay, intravenous infusion of vancomycin or linezolid, all monitoring tests, culture tests and drugs. The unit costs were sourced from hospital information systems. The effectiveness rates were obtained by cumulative probability analysis. One-way sensitivity analysis was used to analyze uncertain influencing factors.ResultsThe effectiveness rates of vancomycin and linezolid in treating neonatal sepsis in the NICU were 89.74% and 90.14%, respectively, with no significant difference. The average cost in the vancomycin group was ¥12261.43, and the average cost in the linezolid group was ¥17227.96. The incremental cost effectiveness was ¥12416.33 cost per additional neonate with treatment success in the linezolid group compared to vancomycin group at discharge. Factors that had the greatest influence on the sensitivity of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were the price of linezolid and the effectiveness rates.ConclusionsThe cost for treatment success of one neonate in linezolid group was ¥5449.17 more than that in vancomycin group, indicating that vancomycin was more cost-effective. Therefore, these results can provide a reference for a cost effectiveness treatment scheme for neonatal sepsis in the NICU.

Clinical Utility of the FilmArray® Blood Culture Identification (BCID) Panel for the Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis.

This prospective single-center study was designed to assess the clinical utility of the FilmArray® blood culture identification (BCID) panel for improving the diagnostic accuracy in neonatal sepsis. Results obtained using the FilmArray® BCID panel were correlated with results of blood culture in all consecutive neonates with suspicion of early-onset (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) attended in our service over a two-year period. A total of 102 blood cultures from 92 neonates were included, 69 (67.5%) in cases of EOS and 33 (32.3%) in LOS. The FilmArray® BCID panel was performed in negative culture bottles at a median of 10 h of blood culture incubation (IQR 8-20), without differences by the type of sepsis. The FilmArray® BCID panel showed a 66.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 95.7% negative predictive value. There were four false-negative cases, three of which were Streptococcus epidermidis in neonates with LOS, and there was one case of Granulicatella adiacens in one neonate with EOS. We conclude that the use of the FilmArray® BCID panel in negative blood cultures from neonates with clinical suspicion of sepsis is useful in decision-making of starting or early withdrawal of empirical antimicrobials because of the high specificity and negative predictive values of this assay.

‘Consociatio vita minabatur procursus’: Citrobacter freundii outbreak causing periculosus neonatal septicaemia in neonatal intensive care unit of tertiary care hospital

Abstract Background: Citrobacter freundii is a common cause of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) outbreaks, causing high morbidity and mortality as a hospital-acquired pathogen. This is the first study from our geographic region, which makes it of utmost importance for spreading awareness about this unusual pathogen amongst healthcare settings. Aim: Investigating an outbreak caused by C. freundii in the NICU of a tertiary care hospital. Settings and Design: During the month of May 2023, an outbreak of C. freundii causing neonatal septicaemia was suspected in the NICU of a tertiary care hospital in Western Uttar Pradesh. The outbreak was investigated and surveillance conducted by the hospital infection control (HIC) team, to find a source of the infection by root cause analysis (RCA), to study clinical profiles and outcomes, to determine their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, to take corrective action preventive action (CAPA). Materials and Methods: A total of 132 blood samples were tested for blood culture and sensitivity using the BD FX40 system. Positive flagged bottles were processed for Gram stain and sub-cultured on 5% sheep blood agar and MacConkey’s agar media plates. Final bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility were done with an automated BD-Phoenix M-50 system. Results: C. freundii with similar antimicrobial susceptibility was identified in seven neonates, contributing to a major percentage of neonatal blood culture positivity of 13.7%, out of a total positivity rate of 38.63%. The mortality rate of this outbreak was 28.57%. The HIC team investigates this outbreak for CAPA and RCA. On environmental surveillance, C. freundii was isolated from infant incubators, dressing trolleys, and laryngoscope blades of the NICU. Discussion: C. freundii association in Blood culture from critical areas patients is life-threatening ‘Consociatio Vita Minabatur Procursus’. Direct access to the bloodstream causing neonatal septicaemia in a short time is a concern for its potential severity, making it as ‘Periculosus Pathogen’. Laboratory automation and implementation of strict infection control strategies in critical areas can improve clinical outcomes and prevent future outbreaks.

Molecular Epidemiology of Neonatal-Associated Staphylococcus haemolyticus Reveals Endemic Outbreak.

Staphylococcus haemolyticus is a major cause of late-onset sepsis in neonates, and endemic clones are often multidrug-resistant. The bacteria can also act as a genetic reservoir for more pathogenic bacteria. Molecular epidemiology is important in understanding bacterial pathogenicity and preventing infection. To describe the molecular epidemiology of S. haemolyticus isolated from neonatal blood cultures at a Swedish neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over 4 decades, including antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factors, and comparison to international isolates. Isolates were whole-genome sequenced, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the core genome were used to map the relatedness. The occurrence of previously described ARGs and virulence genes were investigated. Disc diffusion and gradient tests were used to determine phenotypic resistance. The results revealed a clonal outbreak of S. haemolyticus at this NICU during the 1990s. Multidrug resistance was present in 28 (82%) of all isolates and concomitant resistance to aminoglycoside and methicillin occurred in 27 (79%). No isolates were vancomycin resistant. Genes encoding ARGs and virulence factors occurred frequently. The isolates in the outbreak were more homogenous in their genotypic and phenotypic patterns. Genotypic and phenotypic resistance combinations were consistent. Pathogenic traits previously described in S. haemolyticus occurred frequently in the present isolates, perhaps due to the hospital selection pressure resulting in epidemiological success. The clonal outbreak revealed by this study emphasizes the importance of adhering to hygiene procedures in order to prevent future endemic outbreaks. IMPORTANCE This study investigated the relatedness of Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolated from neonatal blood and revealed a clonal outbreak in the 1990s at a Swedish neonatal intensive care unit. The outbreak clone has earlier been isolated in Japan and Norway. Virulence and antibiotic resistance genes previously associated with clinical S. haemolyticus were frequently occuring in the present study as well. The majority of the isolates were multidrug-resistant. These traits should be considered important for S. haemolyticus epidemiological success and are probably caused by the hospital selection pressure. Thus, this study emphasizes the importance of restrictive antibiotic use and following the hygiene procedures, to prevent further antibiotic resistance spread and future endemic outbreaks.

Maternal colonization and early-onset neonatal bacterial sepsis in the Gambia, West Africa: a genomic analysis of vertical transmission

ObjectivesTo define bacterial aetiology of neonatal sepsis and estimate the prevalence of neonatal infection from maternal genital tract bacterial carriage among mother-newborn pairs. MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional study of newborns with clinical sepsis admitted to three hospitals in the Gambia neonatal wards. Neonatal blood cultures and maternal genital swabs were obtained at recruitment. We used whole-genome sequencing to explore vertical transmission for neonates with microbiologically confirmed bloodstream infection by comparing phenotypically-matched paired neonatal blood cultures and maternal genital tract bacterial isolates. ResultsWe enrolled 203 maternal-newborn pairs. Two-thirds (67%; 137/203) of neonates presented with early-onset sepsis (days 0–6 after birth) of which 26% (36/137) were because of a clinically-significant bacterial pathogen. Blood culture isolates from newborns with early-onset sepsis because of Staphylococcus aureus (n = 5), Klebsiella pneumonia (n = 2), and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 1), phenotypically matched their maternal genital tract isolates. Pairwise single-nucleotide variants comparisons showed differences of 12 to 52 single-nucleotide variants only between maternal and newborn S. aureus isolates, presumably representing vertical transmission with a transmission rate of 14% (5/36). ConclusionsWe found a low prevalence of vertical transmission of maternal genital tract colonization in maternal-newborn pairs for early-onset neonatal sepsis in the West African context. Identifying infection acquisition pathways among newborns is essential to prioritize preventive interventions, which could be targeted at the mother or infection control in the hospital environment, depending on the major pathways of transmission.

Combining Complete Blood Count with Differential Count; C-Reactive Protein and Band Neutrophils in Diagnosis of Early onset Neonatal Sepsis

Aim: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of complete blood count with band versus total neutrophil ratio and C-reactive proteins as an efficient analytical procedure for determining early onset sepsis in neonates. Study design: Cross sectional analytical study Place and duration of study: Department of Paediatric Medicine, Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences Muzafarabad, AJ Kashmir from 01-02-2022 to 31-07-2022. Methodology: Fifty patients were enrolled. Coulter counter was used for analyzing leucocytes of the neonates. Thin film-smears were generated by the laboratory scientist for identifying band neutrophils separately from mature neutrophils. C-reactive proteins level &lt;5mg/dl was considered as negative. Thio-glycate-oxide in liquid form was used for 2ml neonatal blood culture analysis mixed in the 20ml medium at 36 degree celsius. Results: There were 28 (56%) males and 22 (44%) females. The mean age of the neonates was 1.6± 0.77 days. The mean weight of the neonates was 2.4±0.51kg with a range of 4-1.2kg. A variance of band versus total neutrophil ratio was significantly higher in cultures which were positive than negative such as 70% vs 25%. There was also significant percentage of C-reactive proteins positive in positive sepsis cultures in comparison to negative blood culture. Conclusion: A combination of complete blood count with differential count, white blood cell analysis with band versus total neutrophil ratio and c-reactive proteins is an efficient early analytical procedure for determining early onset sepsis in neonates as gold standard test blood culture is time taking. Key Words: Complete blood count, C-reactive protein, Total neutrophils ratio, Early onset neonatal sepsis.

P333 Candidemia due to Candida pelliculosa in neonates admitted in SNCUs of district hospitals of Chhattisgarh: first state-wide study from secondary-level health care facilities in Central India

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM ObjectivesTo study the Candida pelliculosa isolates, from the blood culture of neonates admitted to district hospital SNCUs in the state of Chhattisgarh, their antifungal susceptibility pattern, risk factors, and clinical co-relation. Although Candida species remain the leading cause of invasive fungal infections (IFI), there are certain rare species like C. pelliculosa, that can cause fungemia. Various studies reveal that infants, children, and immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to bloodstream infections of C. pelliculosa. Few cases of fungemia caused by this rare species of Candida have been reported worldwide. We have found a few cases of C. pelliculosa bloodstream infection in neonates admitted to special newborn care units (SNCUs).MethodsThis is an observational study on the Candida isolates from blood cultures of neonates admitted in SNCUs of the state of Chhattisgarh, over a period of 4 years from March 2018 till March 2022. Blood culture isolates of Candida were identified and their AFST was performed on an automated Bacterial ID-AST system by BioMerieux (VITEK -2) and also manually using standard laboratory protocols. Demographic and clinical data of the patients having Candida pelliculosa candidemia were taken from laboratory records.ResultsPaired blood culture samples of total 4997 SNCU neonates were received in the laboratory. Out of these 25% were found positive for bacteria and or Candida spp. Among these positive blood cultures, Candida spp. was isolated in 18.76% patients. Amongst the isolates of Candida, C. pelliculosa was found to be the predominant Candida spp., isolated in 60 neonates, thus comprising of 25.64% of all Candida spp. Further analysis of neonates having C. pelliculosa infection revealed that 40% (24/60) neonates were either low birth weight, very low birth weight (VLBW), or extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies, 25% cases had respiratory distress, 21.6% neonates were premature and 10% cases had hypoglycemia, as risk factors.Antifungal susceptibility pattern showed 99% isolates of C. pelliculosa as susceptible to amphotericin B, 100% being susceptible to voriconzole, and 95% and 100% isolates were susceptible to fluconazole and flucytosine respectively. More resistance was observed for Echinocandins. Caspofungin was found to be least susceptible in 88.9% of isolates. Various indications for blood culture were also analyzed. Only one neonate, out of 60, succumbed to C. pelliculosa infection.Conclusion Candida pelliculosa is found to be an emerging pathogen responsible for candidemia among neonates in SNCUs, which has shown relatively poor in-vitro susceptibility to Echinocandins. It is of extreme clinical importance that neonates of secondary-level health care facilities should also have access to quality laboratory support in the form of culture and sensitivity, so that pathogen profile and antibiogram data are available from such high-risk units as well, which would prove useful in timely institution of targeted therapy, thereby reducing neonatal mortality.