[Incidence of neonatal bacterial infections in intensive care and/or neonatology units. A multicenter study using a...

The authors have studied the incidence and short term prognosis of neonatal bacterial infections among 3,833 newborn babies admitted into 12 intensive care and/or neonatal units of Ile-de-France (Paris region) during 1984. this study was carried out with a computerized data base system. Septicemia was present in 3% of the total population, purulent meningitis in 0/6% and urinary tract infection in 1.4%. The authors have found a great incidence of group B streptococci (26% of septicemia) and e. coli (18% of septicemia). The frequency of use of antibiotics is very different among the units, without evidence of correlation with therapeutic results or with incidence of demonstrated bacterial infections. So, it appears necessary to reevaluate the indications of antibiotherapy, with more objective arguments. The authors emphasize the interest for such studies of computerized epidemiologic multicentric works.