[Healthcare in Low-resource Settings 2013; 1:e21] [page 71]

Sepsis is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in newborns. Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis may be difficult because clin-ical presentations are often non-specific. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of qualitative C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, and examine the correlation between C-reactive protein, blood culture and risk factors for sepsis. This was a prospective study, conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Soba University Hospital, Sudan. A total of seventy babies with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis were included. Chi square test was used to determine the association between C-reac-tive protein and risk factors for sepsis and also the association between C-reactive protein and blood culture. Blood culture was positive in 41.4 % of babies, and C-reactive protein was pos-itive in 58 % of babies with positive blood cul-ture. There was significant association between C-reactive protein results and blood culture (P=0.00). In conclusion, we can assume that C-reactive protein is a reliable diagnostic marker of neonatal sepsis, especially in developing communities with poor resources