ABSTRACT

With this prospective study we aimed to evaluate 60 patients with neonatal sepsis.

Between 07 March 2003 and 31 January 2005, the newborns with neonatal sepsis were evaluated for clinical signs and symptoms, complaints, blood culture results, risk factors and mortality.

Thirty two (53.4%) of 60 patients with sepsis were male and 28(46.6%) female. Twenty eight (46.6%) had early sepsis, while 32 (53.4%) late. The most common complaints were fever, poor sucking reflex and respiratory distress. Depression in newborn reflexes, fever and hypotonia were the most common symptoms. The most common bacteria isolated in blood cultures with early onset sepsis were gram (-) bacilli and staphylococci in the group with late onset most common bacteria were staphylococci and gram (-) bacilli. The mortality rate was 21.4% and 18.8% in early and late sepsis respectively. Mortality was higher in early onset sepsis whereas meningitis was more frequent in late onset. Mortality in preterms was 24.3%, higher than in terms as 16.1%.

Mortality is still high in neonatal sepsis. Prevention of risk factors predisposing to neonatal sepsis, like prematurity and delivery of low birth weight newborns early diagnosis and initiation of treatment, sufficient supportive therapy would help to reduce mortality.

Keywords: Neonate, sepsis, mortality