Microbiological Profile and Sensitivity Data among the Neonatal Population from a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

Background: Sepsis is one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity among neonates. The prevalence of microorganisms varies with regions, and the sensitivity pattern also changes over time.

Aim: To study the prevalence of various microorganisms and their sensitivity pattern among the neonatal population in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study. We screened the records of all neonates admitted to the hospital during a period starting from January 1st, 2016, to September 30th, 2018. The details of the patients with any sterile body fluids showing microbial growth were collected. Descriptive analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 20.

Results: There were 77 organisms isolated during the study period, with the majority among outborn babies. Seventy-two isolates were from blood, two from CSF and urine, with one from the central line. The most common organism was Klebsiella (22%), followed by Burkholderia cepacia (12%), Staphylococcus aureus (9%), and Streptococcus agalactiae (7%). 9% of the organisms were fungus, with the most common being Kodamaea Ohmeri. Among the antibiotics tested for sensitivity, Meropenem had the maximum sensitivity ratio (84%), followed by Co-trimoxazole (83%) and Vancomycin (82%). Piperacillin tazobactam sensitivity was only 56%, and Ciprofloxacin was sensitive in 65% of cases. Most (6 out of 7) of the fungal isolates were sensitive to fluconazole.

Conclusions: Klebsiella remains to be the most common organism causing severe infection in young infants. Worrying rise in the incidence of uncommon organisms (like Kodamaea Ohmeri, GBS, Burkholderia) and carbapenem resistance was noted. It is, therefore, essential to update the antibiotic policy of the neonatal units on a timely basis.