Types of Bacteria associated with Neonatal Sepsis in Al-Thawra University Hospital, Sana’a, Yemen, and their Antimicrobial Profile

Objectives: this study was undertaken to investigate the organisms causing sepsis in the neonatal unit at al-thawra hospital, sana’a, yemen, determine their resistance to antibiotics, and recommend policy for empirical treatment. methods: a total of 158 neonates having one or more signs of sepsis, and aged from 0 to 28 days, were enrolled in this study. a blood sample was taken from each subject, cultured, and then antibacterial susceptibility tests were performed for isolates. results: 90 (57%) cases yielded positive cultures. early-onset sepsis showed higher positive culture results (61.7%) than late-onset sepsis (32%). significant positive culture results were found among the group with birth weight 0.9–2 kg (78.6%). gram negative bacteria constituted 97.8% of the total isolates, of which klebsiella pneumoniae was the predominant pathogen (36.7%), followed by pseudomonas species (30.0%). the commonest symptoms among the cases were respiratory distress (72.2%), jaundice (62.2%), cyanosis (51.1%), and lethargy (47.8%); the mortality rate was 27.8%. all gram negative bacterial isolates were sensitive to imipenem and some isolates were sensitive to fourth-generation cephalosporins, but most isolates were highly resistant to the majority of other antibiotics tested. conclusion: gram negative organisms were the most frequent causative agents of bacterial sepsis, which is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the newborn, and particularly in those of very low birth weight. it can also be concluded that imipenem and fourth-generation cephalosporins can be used for empirical treatment of bacterial sepsis