Neonatal septicaemia

Neonatal septicaemia is major cause of mortality and morbidity among neonates around the world. The spectrum of organisms causing neonatal septicaemia changes over time and varies from region to region. Diagnosing neonatal septicaemia is a challenge since being exposed to known risk factors for septicaemia is not a necessity, clinical signs are often vague and laboratory parameters are nonspecific. An ideal diagnostic test for neonatal septicaemia should be rapid, sensitive and specific, while providing detection of all organisms relevant in neonatal septicaemia and limiting the effects of maternal exposure to antibiotics. Blood culture is the only method that gives us data regarding spectrum of organisms and antibiotic sensitivity pattern. But fastidious organisms, maternal antibiotic treatment and small specimen volumes may decrease the sensitivity of blood cultures. There is reporting delay of 24-72 hrs. So along with blood culture we analysed other laboratory tests that may be useful individually or in combination in the early diagnosis of Neonatal septicaemia.