Clinical and Microbiological Behavior of Neonatal Sepsis Associated with Health Care in 11 Intensive Care Units of Cali, Colombia. 2016-2018

Background: Neonatal sepsis associated with health care is a frequent type of infection in neonatal care units. It leads to high rates of adverse outcomes, as it is in Colombia, the second cause of neonatal death (after prematurity).

Objective: To describe the clinical and microbiological behavior of neonatal sepsis associated with health care in all neonatal intensive care units of Cali, Colombia between 2016 and 2018.

Methods: Cross-sectional observational descriptive study, for which the database of the Secretary of Municipal Health of Cali was used, taking all the records of sepsis (confirmed by culture), associated with health care. The methods that were used were statistics to describe clinical and microbiological behavior.

Results: It is highlighted that the most frequently observed germs were gram negative (43%), with Klebsiella Pneumoniae being the most common, followed (41%) by gram positive, with Staphylococcus epidermidis and fungi (12.9%) predominating. In less than 1000 grams, the gram negative had a higher frequency with 25.3%. Associated with central catheter 66.5% and mechanical ventilation 32.7%. When evaluating frequencies in the institutions of the city, it was found that 73% of the cases correspond to three institutions.

Conclusion: The high rates of late sepsis associated with health care (proven by positive cultures) in neonatal units of Cali indicate the need to strengthen infection prevention measures, as well as the need to establish surveillance programs for providing better practices