[Neonatal sepsis at Rigshospitalet in 1984-1988]

Eighty-one episodes of bacteremia and candidemia were recorded in 78 infants in our neonatal intensive care unit during the years 1984 to 1988. The species isolated from monomicrobial episodes were as follows: Enterobacteriaceae 38%, group B streptococci or pneumococci 12%, staphylococci 20%, Candida albicans 9%, and other species 15%. Polymicrobial bacteremia occurred in 6%. Group B streptococci and pneumococci were predominantly isolated from early infections, whereas Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and C. albicans were associated mainly with late septicemia. More than 80% of the episodes occurred in premature infants. During the study period, initial empiric antibiotic therapy consisted of ampicillin plus gentamicin. In spite of the fact that Enterobacteriaceae isolates, often ampicillin resistant, and penicillinase producing staphylococci, were the dominant etiologic agents, choice of this initial therapy did not seem to contribute to mortality. Mortality was most convincingly associated with overwhelming infections caused by group B streptococci and pneumococci.