Consequences of amniotic fluid infections: early neonatal septicaemia

This study describes the results of examination of blood cultures from infants born in a community with a high prevalence of fatal amniotic fluid infection. The incidence of first-week neonatal septicaemia was 5.5 per 1000 births. Septicaemia was detected in 38% within 12 hours and 75.6% within 72 hours of birth. The aetiological pattern of the septicaemia was similar to that of fatal amniotic fluid infections. The increase in mortality from septicaemia occurred in infants born after 34 weeks of gestation. Nearly 80% of the infections apparently occurred through intact membranes. Respiratory distress with or without radiological evidence of pneumonia was the only manifestation of septicaemia in most infants under four days of age. Low Apgar scores and multiple apnoeic episodes were more common in infants with septicaemia than in those without septicaemia. Neonatal jaundice with serum bilirubin in excess of 11 mg/dl was more common in septicaemic infants and indicated poor prognosis. Meningitis associated with septicaemia occurred in 3.8% and in all these infants the diagnosis of septicaemia was delayed beyond 72 hours. The results suggest that early recognition and treatment of antenatal bacterial infections may prevent mortality and morbidity from complications of septicaemia such as neonatal apnoea, meningitis and bilirubin encephalopathy.