The Role of C-Reactive Protein in the Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis

Abstract

In our NICU, 70 patients with sepsis were examined and analyzed by birth weight, onset day, causative pathogens, clinical symptoms and clinical examination values. Our study result showed the relationship between the birth weight and bacteriological infection rate: the lower birth weight was, the greater infection rate was. For low birth weight newborns, their onset were relatively late as horizontal transmission. For 50% of matured infants, they showed clinical symptom by 6 days after the birth. E. coli or/and S. agalactiae were identified from 57% patients of vertical transmission, and S. aureus and E. cloacae were the major pathogens of horizontal transmission. Low birth weight newborns did not show typical clinical symptoms and examination values. To prevent nosocomial infection, it is important to culture for monitoring and management of skin in addition to taking standard precaution