Bacteriological profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of neonatal septicaemia in a rural tertiary care hospital in North India.

BACKGROUND: There is not much published literature on neonatal septicemia available for the Sub-Himalayan region of North India. Hence, we undertook this study to find out the bacteriological profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of neonatal septicemia in the neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood cultures were performed for all clinically suspected neonatal septicemia cases for 1-year. Identification of all pathogenic isolates was followed by antibiotic sensitivity testing.

RESULTS: We did blood cultures for 450 neonates and 42% were culture positive. Early onset sepsis were 92 (49%) and 96 (51%) were late onset sepsis. Gram-positive isolates were 60% and 40% were Gram-negative. Staphylococcus aureus (40%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus species (16%), non-fermenter group of organisms (NFGOs) (15%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10%) were the main isolates. Nasal cannula 101 (54%), birth asphyxia 91 (48%), and prematurity 73 (38%) were the prominent risk factors associated with septicemia. Gram-positive organisms were highly resistant to penicillin (87%) whereas Gram-negative isolates showed high resistance to third generation cephalosporins (53-89%) and aminoglycosides (50-67%). The S. aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant in 41% whereas extended spectrum beta lactamase production was seen in 48% Gram-negative isolates.

CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the recent emergence of Gram-positive organisms as predominant cause of neonatal septicemia in this part of Sub-Himalayan region, along with the review of literature which shows similar results from North India and rest of the world too. Though Gram-negative bacteria still remain the main cause of mortality in neonatal septicemia, we want to dispel the common notion among practitioners that they are the predominant isolates in neonatal septicemia.