PATTERNS OF NEONATAL SEPSIS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Author Name: 1. Hanaa Nahim Jihad

Volume/Issue: 07/03

Country: Iraq

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/09.2026-52496214/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. Department of Pediatrics, Fatima Al-Zahra Hospital for Maternity and Children, Al-Risafah Health Directorate, Iraqi Health Ministry, Baghdad, Iraq

ABSTRACT

Objective: Neonatal sepsis constitutes a systemic bacterial infection affecting newborns and remains associated with substantial mortality in resource-limited settings. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the incidence, bacteriological profiles, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and mortality among neonates presenting with septicemia in the intensive care units of a referral maternity hospital in Sudan. Methods: This study included 122 neonates with septicemia. Maternal and neonatal characteristics, clinical manifestations, hospitalization status, and the need for mechanical ventilation were recorded. Blood cultures were performed to identify causative organisms, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted. Results: Among the 122 neonates, 80 (65.6%) were preterm and 81 (66.4%) had low birth weight. Males accounted for 68 (55.7%) cases, and 64 (52.5%) were delivered by cesarean section. The most common clinical features were tachycardia (98.4%), central cyanosis (91.0%), respiratory distress (82.8%), and fever (72.1%). Blood cultures were positive in 55 cases (45.1%). Pseudomonas spp. was the most frequently isolated organism (34.5%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (20.0%). Hospitalization (OR = 6.1, 95% CI: 3.7–10.2), low birth weight (OR = 5.5, 95% CI: 3.6–9.5), and prematurity (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 3.9–7.1) were significantly associated with the study outcome (all p < 0.001). Most bacterial isolates demonstrated sensitivity to vancomycin, meropenem, and several other tested antimicrobial agents, whereas resistance patterns varied according to the bacterial species. Conclusion: Prematurity and low birth weight were common among neonates with septicemia and were significantly associated with the study outcome. Tachycardia, central cyanosis, and respiratory distress were the predominant clinical manifestations. Pseudomonas spp. was the most frequently isolated organism. The observed antimicrobial susceptibility patterns highlight the importance of culture-based diagnosis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing to guide appropriate treatment and reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

Key words: Neonatal septicemia; bacteriological profile; antimicrobial susceptibility, Staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus