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Citrobacter sepsis in infants

R P Sugandhi1, V K Beena, P G Shivananda

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.

Insights

Neonatal sepsis blood cultures frequently showed bacterial growth, with gram-negative bacilli being the most common. These bacterial isolates exhibited resistance to frequently used antibiotics, posing treatment challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Neonatal Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Neonatal sepsis is a significant cause of infant mortality worldwide.
  • Identifying causative pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the bacterial pathogens causing neonatal sepsis in a specific cohort.
  • To determine the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of isolated bacteria.

Main Methods:

  • Blood cultures were collected from 320 neonates diagnosed with sepsis.
  • Bacterial isolates were identified, and their susceptibility to various antibiotics was tested.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial growth was detected in 136 (42.5%) of the blood cultures.
  • Gram-negative bacilli constituted 82 (60.29%) of the positive isolates.
  • Common gram-negative bacilli included Citrobacter, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Salmonella typhimurium, Acinetobacter, and Escherichia coli.
  • A high degree of resistance to commonly used antibiotics was observed among the isolates.

Conclusions:

  • Gram-negative bacilli are predominant pathogens in neonatal sepsis in this study population.
  • The widespread antibiotic resistance among these isolates highlights a critical challenge for empirical therapy in neonatal sepsis.

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