BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF NEONATAL SEPTICEMIA AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF THE ISOLATES IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background: Neonatal septicemia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. The identification of causative organisms and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns is essential for guiding effective empirical therapy and reducing adverse outcomes. Objective: To determine the bacteriological profile of neonatal septicemia and evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Pediatrics at Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, Pakistan. Duration of Study: 12-January-2025 to 12-May-2025. Methods: A total of 176 neonates aged 1–20 days presenting with clinical signs of septicemia and positive blood cultures were enrolled. Standard microbiological techniques were used to isolate and identify causative organisms, including Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter, and Klebsiella. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed for meropenem, amikacin, tigecycline, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, linezolid, colistin, and cefepime using standard protocols. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 24. Results: The mean age of the neonates was 10.37 ± 5.64 days, with a mean birth weight of 3.44 ± 0.44 kg. Gram-negative organisms predominated, with Klebsiella (30.1%) and Acinetobacter (25.6%) being the most frequently isolated organisms. High resistance rates were observed against cefepime (73.9%) and ciprofloxacin (56.2%). The highest susceptibility rates were noted for vancomycin (90.9%), linezolid (88.1%), and colistin (81.2%). Conclusion: Klebsiella and Acinetobacter were the leading causes of neonatal septicemia in this study. Vancomycin, linezolid, and colistin showed the greatest sensitivity and may be considered effective options for empirical therapy in neonatal septicemia.