NEONATAL SEPSIS- TRENDS IN A PERIPHERAL TERTIARY HEALTH CARE FACILITY OF EASTERN INDIA.

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Partha Sarathi Satpathi,
Professor,
Department of Microbiology,
Midnapore Medical College and Hospital,
Midnapore, Dt; West Midnapore,
West Bengal, India.
E-mail: pssatpathi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

There are many etiological agents of neonatal sepsis which differs from region to region and also from time to time in the same place. Early diagnosis and appropriate therapy of septicaemia is of utmost importance to prevent the morbidity and mortality. The present study is undertaken to determine the incidence of neonatal sepsis, its microbial profile, pattern of antibiotic susceptibility of the bacterial isolate and also to evaluate the empirical antibacterial treatment used in a peripheral tertiary health care hospital.

METHODS

185 clinically suspected patients of neonatal sepsis in the age group of 0-28 days were included in the study. Blood culture and antibacterial sensitivity of all the isolates was done for all cases.

RESULTS

Out of 185, 51 (27.5%) were early onset sepsis (EOS) and 134 (72.4%) were late onset sepsis (LOS) with a male preponderance. In both EOS and LOS groups, significant culture positivity was observed (p<0.01). Respiratory distress was the most observed clinical presentation. Gram positive bacteria were responsible in 55 (44.3 %), Gram negative bacteria 51 (41.1 %) and Candida spp. in 18 (14.5 %) cases. Both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria showed maximum resistance to Cephalosporins. Imipenem was also resistant in 15.7% Gram negative isolates. Regarding resistant pattern of the Candida spp., highest resistance was observed for Itraconazole.

CONCLUSIONS

The preponderance of LOS is also an important finding which can be minimized by adopting preventive measures by health care workers in periphery.