[Plasmacoagulase-negative Staphylococcus sepsis: experience in a neonatal intensive care unit]

Among 1,049 admissions in the newborn department, during 18 months, authors found 148 positive blood cultures to staphylococci epidermidis (EPN). Recovery of EPN from blood should not be dismissed as a contaminant. 11 newborn were considered to have septicemia by EPN, that means 1.04% of all admissions and 5.6% of babies admitted in intensive care. They find that catheters (100%), assisted ventilation (45.4%) and previous surgery (36.3%) are significant predisposing risk factors. Clinical and laboratory pattern was not different of other sepsis except its late onset. Two patient died. Vancomycin is considered the drug of choice.