Salmonella senftenberg outbreak in a neonatal unit.

ABSTRACT

Salmonella senftenberg was isolated from the stools of 35 newborns between June, 1987 and September, 1988. Twenty nine (82.8%) babies were preterms and twenty six (74%) babies were less than 2,000 grams in weight. All of them were symptomatic within 6 days of life, 74.3% (26) within 4 days. All of them had loose stools and weight loss. Other features were sclerema, jaundice and paralytic ileus. The organism was sensitive to nalidixic acid (100%), amikacin (94.6%), gentamicin (72.9%), cephaloridine (56.7%), and chloramphenicol (29.8%) and resistant to benzyl penicillin and ampicillin. Babies showed good response to a combination of cephaloridine and amikacin along with supportive care. Five babies died, 4 of septicemic shock and one of pulmonary hemorrhage.