Microbiological Profile of Neonatal Septicemia by Automated Blood Culture System (BacT/ALERT) at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India

Background: This study was carried out to do rapid diagnosis of neonatal septicemia to prevent septicemia related complications and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital from a period of March 2014 to August 2015. This is a non-randomized, prospective study in which one hundred and nine cases of suspected neonatal septicemia on the basis of antenatal high risk factors and signs and symptoms of sepsis were studied. Blood samples were collected from neonates in whom septicemia was suspected usually before antibacterial agents were given and both positive and negative samples were detected by automated system BacT/ALERT.

Results: Out of 109 samples tested, 69 samples were positive and 40 samples were negative. The incidence of neonatal septicemia due to Gram positive organisms (62.85%) was found to be high. Among them Coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS) (27) (38.57%) was most common organism followed by Staphylococcus aureus (11) (15.71%), Enterococcus spp. (7.14%) and Streptococcus spp. (1.43%). Rate of Gram negative organisms was quite low (32.85%). Out of them Acinetobacter spp. (17.14%) was most common followed by Klebsiella spp. (7.14%), E.coli (5.71%) and Pseudomonas spp. (2.86%).

Conclusion: Early detection of infection in neonates and proper antibiotics for the treatment leads to reduced morbidity and mortality.