TITLE:
Neonatal Cerebrospinal Fluid, Bacterial Analysis as Seen at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital: A Five-Year Review
AUTHORS:
Yaguo Ide Lucy Eberechukwu, Awopeju Abimbola Temitayo
KEYWORDS:
neonates, confirmed meningitis, suspected meningitis, sensitivity pattern, Cerebrospinal fluid
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Microbiology,
Vol.6 No.4,
April
7,
2016
ABSTRACT: Background: Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is a very important
tool in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in the new born. Bacterial meningitis
is a potent cause of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal age group, with a very
high incidence of neurological complications. Aim: To identify the bacterial pathogens
isolated from the cerebrospinal fluids of neonates at the University of Port Harcourt
Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and their sensitivity patterns. This will assist the neonatologist
in the choice of empirical antibiotic treatment. Study Design: Retrospective, descriptive,
cross sectional study. Place and duration of study: University of Port Harcourt
Teaching Hospital, from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2014. Methods: Records of
bacterial analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from neonates seen at the special care
baby unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital with clinical suspicion
of meningitis between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2014 were retrieved from the
microbiology record book. Data on patients age, sex, appearance of Cerebrospinal
fluid, cell count, microscopy/gram stain, culture and antibiotic sensitivity were
retrieved from laboratory record books and entered into a Microsoft? excel spread
sheet and analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: One hundred and thirteen neonates:
70 (61.95%) of these patients were male while 43 (38.05%) were females. Only 1 (0.89%)
was positive for culture yielding a growth of Escherichia coli which was sensitive to Imipenem, moderately sensitive
to Ampicillin, Gentamicin, ceftazidime, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin and Amoxicillinclavulanic
acid. It was resistant to cefotaxime. 112 (99.11%) of the neonates had presumed
neonatal meningitis while only 1 (0.89%) had proven neonatal meningitis.
Conclusions: There is a low yield of organisms in cerebrospinal fluid of
neonates at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.