Risk Factors and Bacterial Profile of Suspected Neonatal Septicaemia at a Teaching Hospital in Kano, Northwestern, Nigeria

Neonatal septicaemia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries and a major health concern. The aim of this study is to evaluate the bacterial profile, antibiotics susceptibility pattern and associated risk factors of suspected septicaemia in neonates in this locality. Five hundred and forty seven consecutive blood samples from neonates admitted in the special baby care unit (SCBU), Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano between January 2007 and December 2008 were cultured aerobically and anaerobically in the Microbiology Department, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital by standard bacteriological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern was done by disc diffusion methods. One hundred and fifty two (27.8%) positive blood cultures were obtained from the present study. The most frequently isolated organism was Staphylococcus aureus (25.0%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.1%) and Escherichia coli (15.0%). Gentamicin, ofloxacin, ceftriaxone and amoxycillin/clavulanate showed higher percentage antibiotic sensitivity pattern while chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole and ampicillin showed very low percentage antibiotic sensitivity pattern against the various bacterial isolates. The present study showed that Staphylococcus aureus is the leading isolate in neonatal septicaemia in Kano. Gentamicin and Ceftriaxone are recommended as first line drugs in the management of neonatal septicaemia in our locality.