BACKGROUND: Early-onset neonatal bacterial infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the newborn. THE AIM of this study was to determine the incidene, the risk factors and bacterial epidemiology of these infections. METHODS: All cases of early-onset neonatal bacterial infections were identified for the years 2001-2003 using data from obstetric and neonatal reports at the neonatal unit of Charles Nicolle Hospital. RESULTS: 144 cases were identified over 11,201 live births, that is an incidence of 12.85 per thousand, of which 22 cases of sepsis infections. 22.9% of all newborns were premature and 18% had a low birth weight. Membrane rupture occurred more than 12 hours before delivery in 63.2% of cases and an intra-partum fever in 57.7% of cases. Half of newborns were symptomatic with a mean age of 7.5 hours at onset of symptomatology. The principal etiologic agents were Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Escherichia coli (E.coli), responsible respectively of 50% and 29.1% of proved infections. GBS had been recognised as the most prevalent agent in term newborn (58.9%) and the E.coli in premature newborn (38.5%). The neonatal mortality before discharge was 2.77% of all cases. CONCLUSION: Neonatal bacterial infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity in the newborn. The most common etiologic agents remain GBS and E. coli.
BACKGROUND: Early-onset neonatal bacterial infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the newborn. THE AIM of this study was to determine the incidene, the risk factors and bacterial epidemiology of these infections. METHODS: All cases of early-onset neonatal bacterial infections were identified for the years 2001-2003 using data from obstetric and neonatal reports at the neonatal unit of Charles Nicolle Hospital. RESULTS: 144 cases were identified over 11,201 live births, that is an incidence of 12.85 per thousand, of which 22 cases of sepsis infections. 22.9% of all newborns were premature and 18% had a low birth weight. Membrane rupture occurred more than 12 hours before delivery in 63.2% of cases and an intra-partum fever in 57.7% of cases. Half of newborns were symptomatic with a mean age of 7.5 hours at onset of symptomatology. The principal etiologic agents were Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Escherichia coli (E.coli), responsible respectively of 50% and 29.1% of proved infections. GBS had been recognised as the most prevalent agent in term newborn (58.9%) and the E.coli in premature newborn (38.5%). The neonatal mortality before discharge was 2.77% of all cases. CONCLUSION:Neonatal bacterial infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity in the newborn. The most common etiologic agents remain GBS and E. coli.
Authors: Lola Madrid; Anna C Seale; Maya Kohli-Lynch; Karen M Edmond; Joy E Lawn; Paul T Heath; Shabir A Madhi; Carol J Baker; Linda Bartlett; Clare Cutland; Michael G Gravett; Margaret Ip; Kirsty Le Doare; Craig E Rubens; Samir K Saha; Ajoke Sobanjo-Ter Meulen; Johan Vekemans; Stephanie Schrag Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2017-11-06 Impact factor: 20.999