RESULTS OF URINE AND BLOOD CULTURESIN HEALTHY JAUNDICED NEWBORNS:MAKING THE CORRECT CHOICE

Background- Jaundice is one of the presenting signs of sepsis and/or urinary tract infection (UTI) in newborns. Physicians who provide care to jaundiced but otherwise healthy neonates frequently wonder whether they should perform a sepsis work-up in this situation. This prospective study was performed to evaluate the incidence of sepsis and UTI in healthy neonates with jaundice, who were admitted to Mofid Children’s Hospital from September 1997 to August 1999 and to determine the importance of performing a sepsis work-up in this group of infants. Methods- Five hundred consecutive neonates with jaundice were enrolled in this study. One hundred of the neonates were excluded from the study due to at least one exclusion criterion. A single neonatologist performed all physical examinations and obtained all blood and urine specimes. The urine was collected via suprapubic aspiration. The blood and urine cultures were treated according to standard methods. Results- Of the 400 neonates entered into the study, none had positive blood culture and only two (0.5%) had positive urine cultures. Conclusion- Performing blood and urine cultures is not necessary and should not be considered as a routine procedure in the evaluation of jaundiced but otherwise healthy newborn infants.