BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ANTIBIOGRAM PATTERN IN ISOLATES FROM NEONATAL SEPSIS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: To determine the microbiological profile and their Antibiogram pattern in isolates from neonatal sepsis. Methods: This study was conducted from October 2022 to January 15th 2023. Total 663 blood samples received from NICU, which were processed in the department of microbiology Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam. Organisms were identified by conventional methods and an antibiotic susceptibility test was done by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines. Results: Out of 663 samples 200 (30.16%) are culture positives, in which males are more affected than females, that is 103 (51.5%). Among the culture positives, the most predominant isolate was klebsiella species 106 (53%) followed by pseudomonas 28 (14%) Escherichia coli 28 (14%) Acinetobacter 24 (12%), MRSA 11 (0.05%), MSSA 3(0.015%). Regarding its antibiogram, klebsiella species and Escherichia coli were most sensitive to penicillins+beta lactamase inhibitors (83%), fluroquinolones (75%) and aminoglycosides (75%), respectively. Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter was sensitive to penicillins+betalactamase inhibitors (100%) and aminoglycosides (72%). Gram-positive organisms were mostly sensitive to vancomycin, linezolid, aminoglycosides (MRSA) and cefoxitin (MSSA). There was widespread resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (77.77%) among gram-negative organisms. Conclusion: Gram negative bacteria are the most common cause of neonatal sepsis and klebsiella species are the predominant pathogens. These gram negative bacteria were resistant to cephalosporins. Antibiogram helps as a guide to antimicrobial therapy and resistance to antibiotics, as it is the common problem that causes ineffectiveness of empirical treatment.