Bacteriological profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of neonatal sepsis in a tertiary care hospital of northern India

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal sepsis is the single most important cause of neonatal deaths in the community.

Objectives: To identify the common bacterial pathogens associated with neonatal sepsis and to identify their antibiotic sensitivity pattern.

Material and Methods: During the study period, all the neonates admitted in neonatology ward were screened for sepsis by physical examination and clinical features. All infants satisfying the criteria for sepsis were subjected for blood culture. Growths, if any were noted and standard antibiotic sensitivity was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per the CLSI recommendations.

Results: Out of 2520 neonates admitted in neonatal intensive care unit over a period of one year, 89 neonates were diagnosed as having septicemia. Incidence of sepsis in our hospital was 35.3/1000 neonatal admissions. Out of 89 clinically suspected and positive screening test cases of neonatal sepsis, 48.31% were culture proven cases of neonatal sepsis. Klebsiella was found to be the predominant pathogen (34.88%) of the culture positive cases followed by staphylococcus aureus in 32.5% and E. coli in 9.30% cases. Majority of the organisms were resistant to commonly used antibiotics like ampicillin, cloxacillin and ceftriaxone. Aminoglycosides were relatively more effective treatment modalities against gram negative organisms while vancomycin was the most sensitive drug against Staphylococcus aureus.

Conclusions: In view of growing bacterial resistance to commonly used antibiotics, knowledge of bacterial pathogens prevalent in NICU and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern will help the clinician to select appropriate antibiotics for treatment of suspected neonatal sepsis cases.