title: Antibiotic Sensitivity pattern of Bacterial Isolates of Neonatal Septicemia in Peshawar, Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Septicemia plays an important role in neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the bacterial pathogens causing neonatal sepsis and their antibiotic susceptibility profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,685 neonates aged 0-28 days were included in the study. Blood from each neonate was cultured and isolates were identified using standard biochemical tests. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern was analyzed using modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood culture positivity was observed in 1,534 (57.1%) samples. Most of the cases (1089 counts - 71%) were of early onset sepsis while 445 (29%) were of late onset sepsis. The incidence of sepsis was higher in males 856 (55.8%) than females 678 (44.2%) with a 1:2 ratio. Similarly, 58.3% of septicemic patients were neonates with low birth weights. Twelve hundred and six (78.6%) isolates were gram negative while 328 (23.4%) were gram positive bacteria. E. coli was the dominant pathogen seen in 811 (52.8%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus 300 (19.5%), Pseudomonas 199 (13%), Klebsiella 102 (6.7%), Proteus 87 (5.7%), Staphylococcus epidermidis 28(1.8%) and Salmonella in 7 (0.5%) samples. All bacterial isolates showed high sensitivity to Imipenem, Enoxacin, Ofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin while low sensitivity was observed for other antibiotics (n = 16). The Proteus species showed high level of multiple resistances to all antibiotics (5.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imipenem, Enoxacin, Ofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin can be used as an effective antibiotic regimen for treatment of bacterial sepsis in neonates.
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Officer, Pakistan Health Research Council, Research Centre, Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Obaid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.affiliation: Research Officer, Pakistan Health Research Council, Research Centre, Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aftab
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Research Officer, Pakistan Health Research Council, Research Centre, Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ambreen
authors.affiliation: Research Officer, Pakistan Health Research Council, Research Centre, Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Israr
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Ex. Senior Research Officer, Pakistan Health Research Council, Research Centre, Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tasleem
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: Professor at Pediatrics ward. Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Amin Jan
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gandapor
authors.affiliation: Peads Registrar, Pak International Medical College and Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Arif Mehmood
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D015365:Enoxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D015378:Imipenem / Q000494:pharmacology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D000071074:Neonatal Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010154:Pakistan; D011511:Proteus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011512:Proteus Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015365:Enoxacin; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D015378:Imipenem; D015242:Ofloxacin