title: Disposable diapers decrease the incidence of neonatal infections compared to cloth diapers in a level II neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study whether disposable diapers decrease the incidence of neonatal infections compared with cloth diapers in a level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  All neonates admitted to the NICU and having duration of stay >48 h were enrolled. Those babies with signs and symptoms of infection were screened with septic screen and/or blood culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary outcome of the study was incidence of probable sepsis. Of 253 babies enrolled in the study period, probable sepsis was present in 101 (39.9%) infants in the total study group and was higher in cloth diaper group as compared with disposable diaper group (p = 0.01). For an average NICU stay of 6 days, cloth diapers would cost Rs. 241 vs. Rs. 162 for disposable diaper for any infant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Usage of disposable diapers decrease the incidence of probable sepsis in babies admitted to NICU. It is also cost effective to use disposable diapers in the NICU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Vijay Marie Hospital, Hyderabad 500029, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: M Chowdary
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Vijay Marie Hospital, Hyderabad 500029, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Baswaraj
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tandur
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Fernandez Hospital, Hyderguda, Hyderabad 500029, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Fernandez Hospital, Hyderguda, Hyderabad 500029, Andhra Pradesh, India. srinivasmurki2001@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murki
mesh_terms: D003020:Clothing; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003963:Diaper Rash / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D041381:Diapers, Infant / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Disposable diapers; cloth diapers; neonatal sepsis; nursery