DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i09.050

Pages: 3417-3420

Neonatal sepsis is a syndrome characterized by signs of infection and accompanied by bacteria in the first month of life. Neonatal septicemia is one of the most important cause of mortality and morbidity and early diagnosis facilitates early institution of appropriate therapy. Using a combination of tests, like C-reactive protein detection, acridine orange stain of the buffy coat smears in conjunction with blood cultures will greatly enhance the sensitivity and specificity of detection of neonatal septicemia. A study was undertaken to determine the bacteriological profile of neonatal septicemia and to correlate to findings of C - reactive protein estimation and Flurososcent microscopy with buffy coat smear with acridine orange with that of the isolation of the pathogen in blood cultures. A total of 100 samples were collected from the neonates with suspected sepsis and processed by blood cultures, CRP estimation and Flurososcent microscopy with buffy coat smear with acridine orange. The results were compared. Blood cultures were positive in 58 cases (58%). The commonest isolates were Klebsiella (28, 48.2%). CRP test was positive 53 (91.38%) out of 58 culture positive cases and 7 (16.67%) out of 42 culture negative cases .Out of 58 culture positive cases , acridine orange stained buffy coat smears showed positive results in 45 cases and 3(7.14%) out of 42 culture negative cases. Used together with blood cultures, all the three tests combined, showed a sensitivity of 88.33% and specificity of 93.75% with a positive predictive value of 94.44%. A combination of tests gave increased sensitivity, specificity and positive pr.edictive accuracy compared with a single test for the diagnosis of neonatal septicemia.