Bacteriological profile of neonatal septicemia in a tertiary care hospital from Western India

Neonatal septicemia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The present study was undertaken to determine the bacteriological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of prevalent pathogens isolated from the blood of septicemic neonates from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). A total of 180 blood samples of septicemic neonates were studied bacteriologically. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done by the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method in accordance to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institutes (CLSI) guidelines. 26.6% (48 out of 180) cases of septicemia could be confirmed by blood culture. Of these, 66.7% cases were of early onset septicemia (EOS) and 33.3% were of late onset septicemia (LOS). Klebsiella pneumoniae was the predominant pathogen (35.4%) among the Gram-negative pathogens and Staphylococcus aureus (22.9%) was the predominant Gram-positive pathogen. 28% of K. pneumoniae and E. coli isolates were extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers. 18.1% of the Staphylococcus isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Multi-drug-resistance pattern was observed with all the isolates. Ciprofloxacin and aminoglycosides were the most effective drugs against Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates. This study highlights the predominance of Gram-negative organisms in causing neonatal sepsis and emergence of multi-drug-resistant strains in our set up.