Neonatal infections currently cause about 1.6 million deaths annually in developing countries 1 . Sepsis and meningitis is responsible for most of these deaths. This study was undertaken to determine the clinical presentations, bacteriological profiles and antibiotic sensitivity patterns of isolates from blood cultures of neonates admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Nepal. All blood culture reports (n=103) during January 2006 -February 2007 from newborns admitted in neonatal division at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal were analyzed and antibiotic sensitivity patterns were studied. The positive blood culture was 20% (103/513). Most (97.1%) of the sepsis was caused by single organism, while polymicrobial aetiology was observed in 2.9% cases. Meningitis was documented in 9(8.7%) cases. Staphylococcus aureus (38.8%) and coagulase negative staphylococcus (CONS) (21.3%) are the commonest isolates in blood culture. Among gram-negative organisms, Klebsiella species (11.6%) and Enterobacter species (9.7%) were the leading cause of neonatal sepsis. Majority of newborns with neonatal sepsis presented with refusal to feeds (42.7%), fever (41.7%) and jaundice (41.7%). Most of the organisms showed sensitivity with amino glycosides (gentamicin and amikacin) and third generation cephalosporins. It is concluded that Staphylococcus aureus, CONS, and Klebsiella species remain the principal organisms causing neonatal sepsis and first line antibiotics like amino glycosides should be first choice of drugs.

Combined abdominal transpubic perineal urethroplasty is a safe procedure in children and adults. It allows wide exposure to create a tension-free urethral anastomosis without significantly affecting continence or potency. Complications of pubic resection are now rarely seen.

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BackgroundA standard contrast enema for Hirschsprung's disease can sometimes be inconclusive in delineating a transition zone especially in neonates and infants. The aim of this study was to determine the utility and diagnostic accuracy of a plain abdominal radiograph transition zone (PARTZ) in predicting the level of aganglionosis.MethodsA prospective observational study of neonates and infants with biopsy proven Hirschsprung's disease was carried out from March 2004 through March 2006. All patients underwent a plain abdominal radiograph and a contrast enema followed by a rectal biopsy. The transition zone on a plain radiograph (PARTZ) and contrast enema (CETZ) were compared with operative and pathology reports. Results were analyzed by chi square test and expressed as their p values and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsPARTZ and CETZ suggestive of Hirschsprung's disease was seen in 24(89%) and 18(67%) patients respectively. The PARTZ and CETZ matched with the pathologic level of transition zone in 22(92%) and 13(72%) patients, p = 0.001, 95% CI (-1.87 to -0.79). In the 9 (33%) patients in whom contrast enema failed to reveal a transition zone, PARTZ was seen in 6/9(66%) patients and correlated with the pathological level of aganglionosis in 4/6(67%) patients, p = 0.001 95% CI (-1.87 to -0.79). The overall accuracy of PARTZ and CETZ was 96% and 84% respectively, p = 0.008, 95% CI (-6.09 to -3.6).ConclusionA plain abdominal radiographic transition zone is reliable in predicting the level of transition zone in cases of inconclusive contrast enema. It may be particularly helpful developing countries where laparoscopic techniques are not available to accurately identify the transition zone.