Enterobacter cloacae: a predominant pathogen in neonatal septicaemia

A total of 120 blood samples from neonates presenting with clinical signs of septicaemia were subjected for culture using brain heart infusion agar biphasic medium (BHI BPM) and glucose broth. Bacterial agents were isolated from 48 numbers (40%) of cultures. Gram-negative bacilli were isolated in maximum percentage (88.45%) of cases whereas gram-positive bacteria (coagulase negative staphylococci and group B streptococci) in 11.6% of cultures. E. cloacae (39.5%) was maximally isolated among the pathogenic bacteria followed by K. pneumoniae (23.2%), E. coli (11.6%) and others like Acinetobacter spp. (6.9%), Citrobacter freundi (4.6%) and P. mirabillis (2.3%). All the gram-negative bacilli isolates showed 100% susceptibility to amikacin, whereas 85% of E. cloacae isolates were sensitive to the same. Thus E. cloacae was found to be a predominant moderately sensitive pathogen in neonatal septicemia.