The microbiology of neonatal sepsis in a rural Ecuadorian hospital

Introduction: Neonatal sepsis continues to be a public health problem in Latin America. This study aims to describe the bacterial causes of early and late onset neonatal sepsis in a neonatal ICU in a rural hospital in Ecuador. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted using the hospital electronic medical record (EMR) from and all neonates diagnosed with neonatal sepsis were included in this study Results: 74 neonates were included in the study. Seventeen (17) were characterized as neonatal sepsis within the first week of life (early onset neonatal sepsis) and 57 neonates were diagnosed as late onset neonatal sepsis. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common cause of early onset and late onset neonatal sepsis, respectively. Conclusions: The most common bacterial causes of neonatal sepsis in this study are distinct from those causes described in the United States. This could influence empiric initial antibiotic therapy decisions and other preventive measures if larger studies demonstrate similar results.