EARLY NEONATAL SEPSIS: AN ETIOLOGICAL STUDY

Early neonatal sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among the newborn babies in Pakistan. This is a prospective study of 46 culture positive newborn babies presented with early neonatal sepsis. It was conducted in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar from December 2000 to June 2001. E.coli (25/46), Group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus (6/46), Staphylococcus aureus (05/46) and Enterococci (05/46) were the most common organisms involved in early neonatal sepsis. These organisms were highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamycin, cefotaxime and tobramycin). Data from surveillance of early onset neonatal sepsis suggests a different microbial spectrum with predominance °f gram-negative organisms, many of which are multi-drugs resistant.