Neonatal sepsis

News: A recent study highlighted that more than one-third of newborns diagnosed with sepsis could die, emphasizing the urgent need for improved infection prevention and antibiotic management.

About Neonatal sepsis

• Neonatal sepsis is a bloodstream infection that affects infants younger than 28 days.
• Neonatal sepsis is commonly caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria, and certain Streptococcus strains, with Group B Streptococcus (GBS) being a major cause of neonatal sepsis.
• Infants with neonatal sepsis may exhibit symptoms such as Temperature instability (fever or low body temperature), Breathing difficulties, Diarrhea or reduced bowel movements, Low blood sugar levels, Decreased activity or movement, Weak sucking reflex, Seizures, Abnormal heart rate (either too slow or too fast), Abdominal swelling, Vomiting and Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
• It continues to be a major cause of illness and death among newborns, particularly in middle- and low-income countries.
• The condition is categorized into two types based on the timing of its onset: early-onset sepsis (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS).
• EOS occurs within the first 72 hours of life (though some experts extend this to 7 days), while LOS develops at or after 72 hours of birth.