Change in Pathogens Causing Late-onset Sepsis in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Izmir, Turkey

Neonatal sepsis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among newborns in the developing world. We have investigated the causative agents and their antimicrobial susceptibility of late-onset sepsis (>72 h post-delivery), and determined the possible association between various risk factors and the mortality due to neonatal sepsis in 2008. To view the changes in years, we compared them with the data which we gained in 2004.

Medical records of all neonates with late-onset sepsis were reviewed for demographic characteristics (birth weight, gestational age, gender, type of delivery, and mortality rate), positive cultures and risk factors of mortality.

One hundred and forty-seven and 227 neonates had been diagnosed as late-onset sepsis in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus was the most frequent microorganisms. Gram-negative bacilli, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed a significant increase in years. The mortality rate was 11.5% and 19% in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Birth weight, gestational age, and infection with Klebsiella spp. isolates were found to have significant association with sepsis mortality in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The present study emphasizes the importance of periodic surveys of sepsis encountered in particular neonatal setting to recognize the trend. Increased Gram-negative bacilli rate was possibly related to the widespread use of antibiotics in our NICU.