Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in Three Neonatal Units in Dakar: About 690 Neonates

Background: Antibiotic overuse is a global public health problem, partly due to the growing antibiotic resistance. Evaluating antibiotic prescribing practices is essential to ensure optimal and safe care for neonates. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive analytical study conducted in three neonatal units located in Dakar from January 2, 2023 to December 31, 2023. It was based on medical records of hospitalized neonates prescribed antibiotics. Results: During the study period, a total of 1271 neonates were admitted to the three neonatal units. The frequency of antibiotic prescription in hospitalized neonates was 54.28% (n = 690). The mean age of neonates at admission was 1 ± 4 days, ranging from 1 to 28 days. The main clinical symptom on admission was respiratory distress in 440 newborns (63.7%). Presumptive diagnoses of early-onset, late-onset, and nosocomial infections were retained in 462 (66.9%), 62 (8.9%), and 166 (24%) neonates, respectively. Of the 273 requested blood cultures, 239 (87.5%) were not performed. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were Cefotaxime (95.8%), Amikacin (51.74%) and Gentamicin (44.78%). The indications for empirical prescription of antibiotics, based on international guidelines, were found appropriate in 87% of neonates, with a statistically significant variation between neonatal units (Chi2 = 20, p Conclusion: Measures aimed, on one hand, at improving the availability of bacterial identification methods and, on the other hand, establishing an antibiotic stewardship program, are urgently needed in these units in order to optimize antibiotic prescribing practices in neonates in Senegal.