[Neonatal bacterial infections in the tropical zone]

One thousand and ten miscellaneous samples collected from infected newborns, were tested at the bacteriology laboratory of A. Royer Children's Hospital from 1983 to 1991. These samples included 471 blood cultures, 114 pus of various origins, 410 cerebrospinal fluids and 15 urines. One bacteria or bacterial soluble antigens were detected in 294 samples (29.2%). Positivity percentage was 29.2% for septicemia, 68.4% for suppurations, 17.8% for meningitidis and 33.3% for urinary tract infections. Altogether, we isolated 156 enterobacteria (53%), 14 Gram negative bacilli (4.7%) and 124 cocci (42.1%) among them 19 streptococci (A, B, C) and 25 pneumococci. Three major species were identified: S. aureus (25.8%), Klebsiella spp (19.7%) and Escherichia coli (14.6%). The most efficient antibiotics against all strains were AKN, CTX, CRO and GEN.