Septicaemia in an Austrian neonatal intensive care unit: a 7-year analysis

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica Vol. 87; no. 10; pp. 1066 - 1069
• Main Authors: Berger, A, Salzer, HR, Weninger, M, Sageder, B, Aspöck, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-10-1998; Blackwell
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Austria - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Emergency and intensive care: infection, septic shock; Humans; Incidence; Infant, Newborn; Intensive care medicine; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal - statistics & numerical data; Medical sciences; Microorganisms; mortality; neonatal septicaemia; Population Surveillance; Retrospective Studies; risk factors; Sepsis - epidemiology; Sepsis - microbiology; Australia; Oceania; Austria; Human; Premature; Nosocomial infection; Microbiology; Septicemia; Mortality; Epidemiology; Statistical study; Intensive care unit; Incidence; Newborn; Gram positive bacteria; Risk factor; Public health; Gram negative bacteria
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1998.tb01415.x

The results of blood cultures and clinical data of 101 neonates with 110 episodes of septicaemia during a 7‐y study period were reviewed. The overall incidence of culture‐proven sepsis within the study period was 6.0 per 100 neonatal intensive care unit admissions and the mortality rate was 14%. Three groups of pathogens accounted for 70% of all isolates: coagulase‐negative staphylococci (27%), aerobic Gram‐negative rods (24%) and Enterococcusfaecalis (19%). Group B streptococcus was the major pathogen of very early‐onset septicaemia (within 24 h of birth), whereas late‐onset infections were most commonly caused by coagulase‐negative staphylococci. Birthweight <1500g, gestational age <30 weeks of gestation and early onset of symptoms within the first week of life were associated with poor prognosis. In addition, the case fatality rate of episodes caused by Gram‐negative organisms was significantly higher than that of Gram‐positive bacteraemia.