PATTERN OF ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY AND MICROBIAL GROWTH TO BLOOD CULTURE IN NEWBORNS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Aim: To study the pattern of bacterial isolates in neonatal sepsis with antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Study design: An observational study. Place and duration of the study: In the Pediatric Unit II of Services Hospital Lahore for one year duration from January 2019 to January 2020. Material and methods: All neonates with early or late sepsis were included in the study. All these patients were cultured with blood to identify relevant pathogens, and then analyzed to determine their susceptibility to commonly used antimicrobials. Results: 100 (100) newborns with sepsis were included in the study. 71% were men and 29% were women. Gram-negative organisms (74%), Gram-positive organisms 24% and Candida 2% dominated among bacterial isolates. Among Gram-negative bacteria, Citrobacter is the most common (61%), while Staphylococcus aureus is the most common Gram-positive isolate (100%). Gram-negative isolates are more sensitive to imipenem / meropenem (34%), while Gram-positive isolates are more sensitive to vancomycin (100%). Conclusion: Local antimicrobial susceptibility patterns could help in deciding empiric therapy for septicemia due to gram negative or gram positive isolates. Key words: blood culture, sepsis, antimicrobial sensitivity