Predominance of Gram-negative infections a cause of neonatal sepsis among low birth weight preterm infants

• Published in: Journal of laboratory medicine Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 7 - 12
• Main Authors: Bai, Xinlu, Wei, Qiang, Duan, Taimei, Yi, Yuling, Peng, Hong, Hu, Liyi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 01.02.2021
• Subjects: antibiotic resistance; infection; neonatal sepsis; pathogens; preterm newborns
• ISSN: 2567-9430; 2567-9449
• DOI: 10.1515/labmed-2020-0022

Abstract Objectives Neonatal sepsis continues to be a leading and most important cause of mortality among low birth weight (LBW) preterm infants. Methods The study group included 226 LBW preterm infants with sepsis. A total of 100 normal birth weight infants with sepsis served as control. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected for microbiological culture and processed according to standard protocol. Antibiotic resistance patterns were performed following standard guidelines. Results Out of 226 LBW preterm infants 106 (46.9%) showed positive blood culture, of which 52 (49%) Escherichia coli , 28 (26.4%) Klebsiella pneumoniae , 12 (11.32%) Enterobacter spp., 4 (3.7%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa , 2 (1.88%) Acinetobacter spp., 5 (4.7%) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 3 (2.8%) Staphylococcus epidermidis were isolated. Out of 100 control group infants, 46 (46%) showed positive blood cultures, of which 18 (39.1%) E. coli , 12 (26.08%) Enterobacter spp., 8 (17.39%) K. pneumoniae , 1 (2.17%) P. aeruginosa , 2 (4.34%) MRSA, 3 (6.52%) S. epidermidis and 2 (4.34%) Candida spp. were isolated. Cephalosporin and Penicillin group showed highest resistance with 58 and 52%, respectively. Aminoglycosides showed 22% resistance. The control group showed highest resistance of 62% to the Penicillin group, 54% cephalosporin and 18% for aminoglycosides. Conclusions Our study highlights on the surveillance of resistant pathogens causing sepsis in LBW preterm infants emphasizing antimicrobial stewardship to control the mortality rate.