Trends in patterns of resistance among micro organisms causing neonatal sepsis in Peshawar

To report the spectrum and patterns of resistance among micro organisms causing neonatal sepsis in a tertiary care neonatal setting. This descriptive study was conducted in Special Care Baby Unit [SCBU] Department of Child Health and Microbiology Section Department of Pathology, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar from March 2008 to January 2009. 1000 Blood cultures were taken, using standard methods, from neonates with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis. The cultures were incubated and sensitivity to various antibiotics was tasted by standard disc diffusion Technique. The culture positivity rate was 11.1%. E. coll was the most common organism found in 44 [39.63%] cases, followed by Klebsiella [n= 21 18.91%], Staph aures [n=18, 16.21%], Staph Epidermises [n=16, 14.41%], Pseudomonas [n = 12, 10.81%]. None of the cultures was positive for Group B Streptococcus [GBS] and Listeria. Among the isolates there was low sensitivity [+] to ampicillin, good sensitivity [++]to cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, and maximum sensitivity [+ + +] to amikacin, quinolones and imipenem. Majority of the organisms were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Gram negative organisms remain the major cause of neonatal sepsis in tertiary care units. Majority of these organisms are resistant to commonly used antibiotics

Correlation of axillary temperature with rectal temperature in clinically unstable neonates

To test the hypothesis that axillary temperature may not correlate well with rectal temperature in unstable neonates and to compare the predictive value of axillary temperature recording in unstable neonates with that of healthy neonates. This cross-sectional and analytical study. Neonates from birth till the age of one month were included in the study. Axillary temperature and rectal temperature were recorded upon arrival to the unit, using digital thermometers. At arrival, 109 neonates were categorized as stable and 117 as unstable. There were no statistically significant differences in their demographic data such as gender, gestational age, postnatal age and weight of the neonates in the two groups. Over all mean axillary temperature was 97.02°F [SD +/- 2.5] and mean rectal temperature was 97.99°F [SD +/- 2.21]. The overall correlation between the axillary and rectal temperature was 0.632 [p<0.001]. A significant difference [P-value <0.001] in the Pearson correlation [r] between axillary and rectal temperature recording in the two groups was found. A significant difference was also observed in regression lines between the two groups. Axillary temperature measurement is not a reliable method of documenting the arrival temperature in clinically unstable neonates

Erythrocyte glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and neonatal jaundice

Four years data from Special Care Baby Unit revealed neonatal jaundice [NNJ] as the commonest cause of hospitalization[1944 cases of NNJ out of 6454 admitted neonates]. Majority [47.5%] of babies with NNJ presented between 4-7 days of birth. One hundred and sixty infants with NNJ were positive for Glucose 6 Phosphate deyhdrogenase [G6PD] deficiency, of whom 153 were males and 7 females. Eighty five G6PD deficient babies required exchange transfusion and 23 developed bilirubin encephalopathy [BE] of which 7 died