Preterm Neonatal Sepsis: Associated Risk Factors and Microbial Profiles at Kitale County Hospital New-born Unit, Western Kenya

Abstract

Neonatal sepsis is a major concern with maternal and neonatal risk factors greatly being associated with development of neonatal sepsis. In this study, we sort to determine the associated risk factors and microbial profiles at Kitale County Hospital (KCH) new-born unit in Western Kenya. Data was collected from 181 eligible preterm neonates and cultured using standard protocols. A prevalence of 22.7% was found with majority of Gram positive 35 (85.4%) while Gram negative were 6 (14.6%). Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) were 31 (75.6%) with Staphylococcus epidermidis 19 (46.3%) being the majority. Mode of delivery, Prolonged Rupture of Membranes (PROM), foetal distress, low birth weight and poor breast feeding were major risk factors associated with neonatal sepsis at KCH. There is therefore need to assess the correlation between the specific maternal and neonatal risk factors with common circulating bacterial profiles at KCH new born unit.

Keywords: Preterm neonate, Neonatal sepsis, New-born unit, Microbial profiles and characteristics. Western Kenya.