Incidence of Neonatal Sepsis, Clinical Features and Treatment in Newborn Infants Born at Pakthongchai Hospital

Abstract

This descriptive research aims to study the incidence of neonatal sepsis clinical features and treatment in newborns who born at Pakthongchai Hospital between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2022. Retrospective data collected from medical records of 1,295 cases about general information, risk factors of mother and newborn, signs and symptoms, laboratory results and administration of antibiotics.

The research result found that 79 newborns were diagnosed with neonatal sepsis. The incidence of neonatal sepsis was 61.00 cases per 1,000 live births, 96.20% of early onset sepsis and 3.80% of the late onset sepsis. The risk factors associated with neonatal sepsis were preterm infants 15.19%, meconium-stained amniotic fluid 15.19%, low birth weight infants 12.66%, deliveries before arrival labor room 7.59%, prolonged rupture of membrane more than 18 hours 7.59%, maternal intrapartum fever 5.06%. The clinical manifestations that found, respiratory distress 70.89%, gastrointestinal tract symptoms 32.91%, hypoglycemia 30.37%, temperature instability 18.98%, neurological symptoms 10.13%, petechiae 8.86% and cardiovascular instability 7.59%. Two cases had positive blood culture, representing 2.53%, were coagulase negative staphylococcus. The early onset sepsis group was treated with ampicillin plus gentamicin and the late onset sepsis group was treated with ampicillin plus gentamicin or ampicillin plus metronidazole and cefotaxime plus amikacin. From the research found that, the incidence of neonatal sepsis was relatively high. So that, there should be to have management guidelines for mothers and infants who have risk factors and diagnostic guidelines together with close observation of the symptomatic infants.