Risk Factors and Microbiological Outcome in Neonatal Sepsis: A Clinical Study

Infection is the predominant cause of neonatal deaths universally. Neonatal deaths (30-50%) every year is caused due to sepsis. Due to nosocomial infections and their associated morbidities, cost and mortality, betterment of neonatal outcomes is complicated as hospitals in developing countries are at major risk for the transmission of infection. The present study aimed to analyse sepsis risk factors and microbiological outcome in the NICU and post-natal ward. The study diagnosed the affected neonates as earliest possible so that suitable antibiotic treatment can be done without adding to the burden of antibiotic resistance. In this study, 94% of babies with neonatal sepsis were discharged and 6% of babies succumbed to the illness. Low birth weight between 1500-2500 grams was noted as an important contributing factor to sepsis in babies. PROM was found to be greater than 18 hours in (46%) of cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the common pathogen amongst gram negative bacteria in the present study and thus was the common cause of septicemia in neonates, and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus were common bacteria among the gram-positive bacteria. A higher mortality rate in cases of late onset sepsis was observed and was explained probably due to prolonged NICU stay, multiple interventions such as mechanical ventilation, umbilical venous catheterization, and central lines.