Emerging Antimicrobial Resistance in Neonatal Sepsis

Area of Science:

• Neonatalogy
• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology

Background:

• Neonatal sepsis poses a significant threat to infant survival.
• Understanding causative agents and their antimicrobial susceptibility is critical for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of microbial agents causing neonatal sepsis.
• To analyze the antimicrobial sensitivity patterns of these pathogens.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study was conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from May 2017 to April 2019.
• Data from 1,070 neonates admitted with sepsis were analyzed, including culture reports and antibiotic sensitivity.

Main Results:

• Staphylococcus species (36.7%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (17.7%) were the most common Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, respectively.
• Gram-positive organisms showed high sensitivity to vancomycin (81.1%).
• Gram-negative organisms exhibited significant resistance, with colomycin being effective against highly resistant Klebsiella and Acinetobacter strains.

Conclusions:

• Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, and E. coli are key pathogens in neonatal sepsis.
• Vancomycin and gentamicin are recommended for Gram-positive infections.
• Colomycin is essential for treating multidrug-resistant Gram-negative neonatal sepsis.