WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Aysar Mohammed Taha, Hasson Muhsin Hussein and Manhal Zuhair Hammoodi

ABSTRACT

Background: Neonatal sepsis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection in the newborn's bloodstream. Symptoms include temperature instability, breathing difficulties, and refusal to eat. Neonatal sepsis is classified as either early onset or late onset. All levels of the health system must comprehend the diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of neonatal sepsis in order to guarantee the effective and long term detection of this condition. Objectives: Is to identify the predictors of death among newborns with blood culture proven sepsis at Ibin Al Atheer Teaching Hospital in Mosul, Iraq. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive cohort study of recorded data from the department of pediatric med icine at Ibin Al Atheer Teaching Hospital, from January 2023 to the end of December 2023. The questionnaire includes four parts; part one for socio demographic information. Part two for specific clinical features associated with neonatal sepsis. Part three for maternal obstetric history. Part four for laboratory investigations used. In addition to that; Hospitalization outcomes were recorded as survival at discharge or passed (death). The total number of neonates determined was then separated into two group s. Group A comprised of neonates who survived until discharge, while Group B consisted of neonates who died while in the hospital. Results: The study includes 200 patients with neonatal sepsis admitted to Ibin Al Atheer Teaching Hospital during the period of the study, the mean age of the study patients is 5.43 ± 2.14 days. Males more predominant than females with ratio of 1.35:1. The study found that the mortality rate of neonatal sepsis is 41.5%. Statistically significant difference regarding the presence of lethargy (P value <0.001), vomiting (P value <0.001), respiratory distress (P value <0.001), leukocytes (P value <0.001), elevated blood sugar (P value = 0.029). Moreover; Streptococcus species founded to be significantly more among patients with late onset sepsis (P value = 0.037). Conclusion: High antibiotic resistance in Iraq can increase the overall mortality rate of infectious diseases. Moreover; Lethargy, vomiting, respiratory distress, leukocytosis and high random blood sugar are significantly association with death. Following strict protocols and prescribing antibiotics according to c ulture and sensitivity tests are recommended to all patients with infections regardless to the type and location of infection.