Neonatal septicemia

A study of 92 consecutive cases of neonatal septicenia showed incidence of clinical and bacteriological positive septicemia of 10·97 and 6·55 per 1,000 live-births respectively. Blood culture was positive in 59·8% cases of which 76·3% showed Gram negative organisms like klebsiella, E. coli, citrobacter, pseudomonas and 23·7% Gram positive organisms predominantly staphylococci and streptococci. Only one anaerobic peptococcus was isolated. 68·5% cases had membrane rupture more than 24 hours before delivery. 70% cases developed septicemia within 5 days. Refusal of feeds, lethargy, diarrhea, hypothermia, abdominal distention and jaundice were the major presenting features. Respiratory distress, apnoeic spells, convulsion, sclerema were bad prognostic features. Gentamycin and cloxacillin were the drugs of choice for combating Gram negative and positive organisms respectively. All cases were resistant to ampicillin. Chloramphenicol showed better result than kanamycin. The overall mortality was 57·6%. Male sex, prematurity, LBW and Gram negative infection were associated with higher incidence and mortality.