[Neonatal septicemia: differences in full-term and pre-term newborn infants]

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Neonatal septicemia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns.
• Understanding the etiological agents and clinical presentations is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the etiologic agents, clinical signs, laboratory findings, and clinical outcomes of neonatal septicemia in at-term versus preterm neonates.
• To identify differences in the presentation and causes of neonatal septicemia based on gestational age.

Main Methods:

• A two-year study involving 115 newborns diagnosed with septicemia via blood cultures.
• Patients were divided into at-term and preterm groups for comparative analysis.
• Etiologic agents, clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and outcomes were recorded and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Staphylococcus epidermidis was the leading cause in at-term neonates, while Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae predominated in preterm neonates.
• Clinical signs varied, with fever and feeding rejection more common in at-term infants, and apnea and hypothermia more frequent in preterm infants.
• Preterm neonates exhibited more altered white blood cell counts and a higher mortality ratio compared to at-term neonates.

Conclusions:

• The etiology of neonatal septicemia differs significantly between at-term and preterm infants.
• Distinct clinical and laboratory findings are associated with septicemia in each group.
• These findings underscore the importance of gestational age-specific approaches for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of neonatal septicemia.