Publication:

Bacterial etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of neonatal sepsis at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal

Background Sepsis is the second major cause of mortality among neonates. Present study was done to identify the common organisms which cause early and late onset neonatal sepsis in neonates admitted in our department and their antibiotic sensitivity patterns.

Methods All neonates weighing more than 1500 gms and born to mothers with pre-existing infection, admitted to neonatal intensive care unit for suspected neonatal sepsis were included in the present study. They underwent blood culture and antibiotic sensitivity profiling.

Results 210 newborns were admitted to the NICU of our department for suspected neonatal sepsis. Longer duration of rupture of membranes was found to be significantly associated with growth of organisms. Amongst the cases with gram positive organisms, most were due to Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (n=25), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n=14), and, Enterococcus (n=4). Gram negative organisms isolated constituted 17 organisms. Amongst the cases with gram negative organisms, mostly were due to Klebsiella (n=10), followed by Pseudomonas (n=5) and E. coli (n=2). The most common organism causing early onset sepsis was CoNS, while Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism causing late onset sepsis. CoNS was fully sensitive to Vancomycin and Amikacin. Staphylococcus aureus was fully sensitive to Amikacin, α-hemolytic. Streptococcus were sensitive to Amikacin, Vancomycin and Piperacillin and Tazobactum and Enterococcus was sensitive to Amikacin and Vancomycin.

Conclusions Antimicrobial surveillance of neonatal septicaemia is required to know the antibiotic sensitivity pattern and thus to formulate policies on use of antibiotics and to know the changing spectrum of antimicrobial sensitivity patterns.