RESUMO
To study incidence, mortality, maternal and neonatal risk factors and causative microorganisms for neonatal sepsis. A total of 60 neonates with sepsis were studied during the period between January and December 2005. The clinical presentations, maternal, and neonatal risk factors and the time of neonatal death were recorded. Four hundred ninety nine [10.2%] out of 4902 live neonates were admitted for various reasons to the neonatal intensive care unit at King Hussein Medical Centre. Sixty [12.0%] babies had proven sepsis, 28 [46.7%] of these with early onset and 32 [53.3%] with late onset sepsis. Maternal risk factors associated with neonatal sepsis were: cesarean section in 22 [36.7%] cases, premature rupture of membranes in 4 [6.7%] cases, eclampsia in 4 [6.7%] cases, and maternal urinary tract infection in 3 [5%]. Neonatal risk factors observed were: male gender in 40 [66.7%] cases, low birth weight in 38 [63.3%] cases, prematurity in 32 [53.3%] cases, low Apgar score in 10 [16.7%] cases, and mechanical ventilation in 12 [20.0%] cases. Gram positive bacteria were isolated in 44 [73.3%] cases of which four died. However gram negative sepsis was associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates. Twelve [20%] babies died, seven of them due to Klebsiella sepsis. Candida sepsis caused three cases of sepsis with one death. Most of deaths occurred out of working hours. Early recognition and prompt treatment of neonatal sepsis are of paramount importance particularly in the presence of risk factors