INCIDENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF NEONATAL SEPTICAEMIA FROM TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF INDIA

Introduction- Septicemia is a clinical syndrome characterized by fever, malaise, tachycardia, hyperventilation and toxicity or prostration, which results when circulating bacteria multiply at a rate that exceeds removal by phagocytes. “Failure to thrive” may indicate chronic septicemia in infants. Neonatal sepsis is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. In India nearly one fourth of half of neonatal deaths is due to neonatal septicemia. Materials and Methods- The study was approved by the Institute Ethical committee and conducted between January 2006 to December 2007. 50 infants with clinically suspected neonatal septicaemia were included in the present study. An incidence of clinically suspected septicaemia with positive blood cultures, their bacteriological profile and sensitivity pattern were studied. Results and observation- Incidence of culturally positive neonatal septicaemia in NICU is 62% out of clinically suspected neonates. Male neonates may be prone to septicaemia. There is a correlation between preterm babies and neonatal septicaemia. CRP, band cell % and band cell to neutrophil ratio are significant parameters for early diagnosis. Local bacterial infections are less significant with bacteremia. Gram negative bacteria are showing increase in resistance towards antibiotics. In vitro testing, most bacteria have good sensitivity towards ciprofloxacin and Amikacin. Conclusion-.Study reveals elevated incidence of neonatal septicaemia in our hospital. To reduce comprehensive neonatal mortality, strategies of proven value such as hand hygiene, barrier nursing, and constraint use of antibiotic have to be implanted