Globally, over 400,000 neonatal deaths in 2015 were attributed to sepsis, however, the incidence and etiologies of these infections are largely unknown in low-middle income countries. We aimed to determine incidence and etiology of community-acquired early-onset (<72 hours age) sepsis (EOS) using culture and molecular diagnostics. This was a prospective observational study, in which we conducted a surveillance for pathogens using a combination of blood culture and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based test. Blood culture was performed on all neonates with suspected EOS. Among the subset fulfilling criteria for protocol-defined EOS, blood and nasopharyngeal (NP) respiratory swabs were tested by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR using a Taqman Array Card (TAC) with 15 bacterial and 12 viral targets. Blood and NP samples from 312 healthy newborns were also tested by TAC to estimate background positivity rates. We used variant latent-class methods to attribute etiologies and calculate pathogen-specific proportions and incidence rates. We enrolled 2,624 neonates with suspected EOS and from these 1,231 newborns met criteria for protocol-defined EOS (incidence- 39.3/1,000 live-births). Using the partially latent-class modelling, only 26.7% cases with protocol-defined EOS had attributable etiology, and the largest pathogen proportion were Ureaplasma spp. (5.4%; 95%CI: 3.6–8.0) and group B Streptococcus (GBS) (4.8%; 95%CI: 4.1–5.8), and no etiology was attributable for 73.3% of cases. Blood cultures were positive in 99/1,231 (8.0%) with protocol-defined EOS (incidence- 3.2/1,000 live-births). Leading pathogens on blood culture included GBS (35%) and viridans streptococci (24%). Ureaplasma spp. was the most common organism identified on TAC among cases with protocol-defined EOS. Using a combination of blood culture and a PCR-based test the common pathogens isolated in neonates with sepsis were Ureaplasma spp. and GBS. Despite documenting higher rates of protocol-defined EOS and using a combination of tests, the etiology for EOS remains elusive.

Management of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) by therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a major challenge in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) because of the limited resources. Clinicians in ...

Infection with resistant gram-negative bacteria is a growing threat to hospitalised patients. To determine factors associated with mortality among infants infected by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella species (Klebs-ESBL) and to assess whether selective empirical use of meropenem (MERO) is associated with high mortality. Medical records of neonates admitted from January 2002 to December 2003 who had positive blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture with Klebs-ESBL were reviewed for clinical, management and outcome information. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with mortality among infants with culture-proven Klebs-ESBL. A hundred patients had positive blood (n=97) and/or CSF cultures (n=9) owing to Klebs-ESBL. Overall mortality rate was 30%. The mortality rates among those who were empirically started on a combination of piperacillin-tazobactam and amikacin (Pip-Taz+Amik) (n=48), meropenem (MERO) (n=40) and in those not started on MERO or Pip-Taz+Amik) (n=12) were 25%, 32% and 42%, respectively. Non-survivors were younger (p=0.01), had cardio-respiratory compromise or required assisted ventilation at presentation (p<0.001), and were not started on antibiotics, MERO or Pip-Taz+Amik (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, factors associated with mortality were vaginal delivery (OR -7.07, 95% CI 2.14-23.39), a need for assisted ventilation at onset of illness (OR -4.94, 95% CI 1.12-21.86) and not starting empirical MERO or Pip-Taz+Amik (OR -17.01, 95% CI 2.41-120.23). While empirical use of carbapenems for nosocomial sepsis might be appropriate in areas where Klebs-ESBL is prevalent, their use can be restricted to those with cardio-respiratory compromise or severe sepsis without an increase in mortality.

Introduction: The burden of sepsis in neonates due to Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) in developing countries is not well reported. The objective of this study was to determine prevalence of culture confirmed sepsis due to A. baumannii, antimicrobial susceptibility and case-fatality rates (CFR) due to this organism. Methodology: A retrospective review of medical and laboratory records of neonates admitted to a tertiary government hospital from a developing country was conducted. Records of neonates with positive microbiological cultures from blood or cerebrospinal fluid due to A. baumannii were reviewed for demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, antibiotic susceptibility and outcome at hospital discharge. Results: There were 399 isolates of A. baumannii cultured from sterile sites, with a prevalence of 4.3/1000 live births or 22.8/1000 admissions, accounting for 13% of all culture confirmed sepsis. Majority of neonates were preterm (91%) with a mean gestational age and birth weight of 30 weeks and 1400 grams respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates was 64% to cephalosporins, 21% to aminoglycosides and 17% were extremely-drug resistant (XDR), only susceptible to colistin. The CFR was 32%. Factors associated with mortality were presence of a central venous catheter prior to onset of sepsis (49% vs 31%, p = 0.03); need for mechanical ventilation (62% vs 36%, p = 0.005) and inotropic support (57% vs 17%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: A. baumannii is a significant pathogen causing sepsis in neonates, with 17% of them being XDR. It is associated with high CFR. These findings highlight the need for strict enforcement of infection control and antibiotic stewardship practices.

Maternal and neonatal vitamin D status at birth in black South Africans