Neonatal Sepsis : A Two-Year Review of the Antibiograms of Clinical Isolates from the Neonatal Unit

Abstract

78 Sepsis is stressful for a neonatologist. It is the leading cause of neonatal deaths and morbidity and contributes to nearly 50% of the neonatal mortality in developing countries1,2,3. The neonatal sepsis pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns vary between different units and it changes over time. Therefore, the choice of empiric antibiotic therapy, which is a lifesaving treatment in critical cases, should be guided by the local epidemiology. Safe prescription practices will optimize the treatment, reduce antibiotic toxicity and the emergence of resistant organisms1,2,3,4.