| CORRESPONDENCE |
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| Year : 2004 | Volume
: 22
| Issue : 1 | Page : 71 |
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Acinetobacter septicaemia in neonates
CS Vinodkumar , YF Neelagund
Department of PG Studies and Research in Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga - 585 106, Karnataka, India
Correspondence Address:
Department of PG Studies and Research in Microbiology, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga - 585 106, Karnataka, India
How to cite this article:
Vinodkumar C S, Neelagund Y F. Acinetobacter septicaemia in neonates. Indian J Med Microbiol 2004;22:71 |
Dear Editor,
Septicaemia remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the newborns, more so in the developing countries.[1] In India, according to National Neonatal Perinatal Database (NNPD) 2000, the incidence of neonatal septicaemia has been reported to be 24/1000 live births.[2] Along with other organisms like E.coli  , Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella More Details spp., Acinetobacter spp. are gaining importance as a potential pathogen in neonatal septicaemia because of its frequent isolation and multidrug resistance.[3],[4] Blood samples from 1028 suspected neonatal septicaemic cases were cultured from November 2001 to March 2003 for the isolation of aerobic bacteria. Organisms were identified by conventional methods and antimicrobial testing was done according to Kirby Bauer's method.[5]
Among 1028 neonates investigated for septicaemia, 429 neonates were positive in blood culture, of which 38 babies (8.9%) showed septicaemia due to Acinetobacter spp. Out of 38 Acinetobacter isolates, 35 (92.1%) were A. baumanni and 3 (7.9%) were A. lwoffii. Twenty-two babies (57.9%) were term babies and 16 (42.1%) were preterm. Thirty of the neonates weighed less than 2500 gm, of which 11 weighed less than 1500 gms whereas remaining 8 showed were 2500 gms. The male to female ratio was 15:23. A total of 4 (10.5%) babies died and death could be attributed to bleeding diathesis in one case and there was no specific complication seen in rest of the three babies. All the 38 isolates were resistant to two or more antibiotics. 61% were sensitive to amikacin, 21% to gentamicin, 45% to netilmicin, 17% to cefotaxime, 11% to cephalexin, 44% to carbenicillin, 65% to ciprofloxacin and 68% to ofloxacin.
Septicaemia due to Acinetobacter spp. are common in babies with predisposing factors like intravascular catheterization, endotracheal intubation, parenteral nutrition, broad spectrum antibiotic therapy and artificial ventilation.[4] The incidence of Acinetobacter septicaemia in this study is 8.3%, which is in concurrence with the study carried out at South Canara, Karnataka.[4] Even though majority of babies received life supportive measures, it was not possible to identify the predisposing risk factors that led to septicaemia. Since all neonates had clinical features suggestive of septicaemia and majority had positive haematological indices, the organism was considered significant. Maximum number of isolates showed sensitivity to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. The present study highlights Acinetobacter spp. as important pathogens in neonatal blood stream infection.
| ~ References | |  |
| 1. | Khatua SP, Das AK, Chatterjee BD, Khatua S, Ghose B, Saha A. Neonatal septicaemia. Indian J Pediatr 1986;53:509-514.  |
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