All issues > Volume 33(9); 1990

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1990;33(9):1180-1187. Published online September 30, 1990.

A Study of Clinical Observations in Neonatal Sepsis.

E S Kim¹, K H Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha University, Seoul, Korea

Received: March 20, 1990;  Accepted: June 16, 1990.

Abstract

We have experienced 67 cases of neonatal sepsis confirmed by clinical symptoms and blood culture between July 1983 and June 1988 at Ewha university hospital. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The incidence of septicemia was 0.6%. The sex ratio of patients was 0.97:1 with 33 males and 34 females. 2) The incidence was higher in preterm babies than in full term babies and higher in low birth weight infant below 2.5 kg. 3) The incidence between early onset type and late onset type was not significantly different. The mean age of onset was 6.8 days. 4) Among the perinatal complication, birth asphyxia and spontaneous premature rupture of membrane were most commonly associated. 5) Among the concurrent conditions, the congenital anomaly was seen in 14 cases (20.9%) and it was the highest incidence, metabolic disorders in 12 cases (17.9%). The hyaline membrane disease and intraventricular hemorrhage were also presented in 5 cases and 3 cases, respectively. 6) Among the associated focal infections, the pneumonia and urinary tract infection were most common. 7) Of the 67 cases with neonatal sepsis, the following causative organisms were isolated; Gram positive organisms in 51 cases (76.1%), gram negative organisms in 14 cases (20.9%) and more than two strains of bacteria in 2 cases (3.0%). Among these, staphylococcus aureus was the most common. 8) The significant diagnostic laboratory findings for septicemia were leukopenia «5,000/mm3), neutrophil index (^0.2), thrombocytopenia «100,000/mm3), ESR^15mm/hr and CRP^1+. 9) The case mortality-rate was 6.0%. It was higher in mixed infections than in infections of single organism.

Keywords :Neonatal Sepsis