Author(s): Srinivasa S, Arunkumar D
Epidemiology and surveillance of neonatal sepsis helps in implementation of rational empirical antibiotic strategy. The present study was conducted to record the frequency of bacterial isolates of neonatal sepsis and their sensitivity pattern in neonates treated in our tertiary care NICU. In this retrospective study, neonates in whom neonatal sepsis was suspected and blood culture done were included. Their bacterial Isolate identification and antibiotic susceptibility was studied. The demographic data, blood culture reports, organisms and their antibiotic susceptibility and resistance pattern were obtained from the unit register and/or neonatal case records. Data was tabulated and anlysed. Out of 918 neonates screened, there were 180(19.2%) positive blood cultures. After excluding CONS, Gram positive organism Staphylococcus aureus (52.7%) remained the predominate isolate, followed by gram negative isolates (47.3%) Klebsiella and others. Gram positive group had greater susceptibility to higher antibiotics like; vancomycin, linezolid, cephalosporin, quinolones in order and low susceptibility to ampicillin. In Gram negative group best susceptibility was to amikacin, gentamycin, linezolid, quinolones, cephalosporins in that order. The susceptibility was remarkably low to ampicillin. Organisms isolated in the study exhibited higher resistance towards commonly used antimicrobials. The periodic survey of etiological agents and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern is indeed necessary for timely alarm of such type of problems and help in implementation of rational empirical treatment strategy.