The results of blood cultures and clinical data of 101 neonates with 110 episodes of septicaemia during a 7-y study period were reviewed. The overall incidence of culture-proven sepsis within the study period was 6.0 per 100 neonatal intensive care unit admissions and the mortality rate was 14%. Three groups of pathogens accounted for 70% of all isolates: coagulase-negative staphylococci (27%), aerobic Gram-negative rods (24%) and Enterococcus faecalis (19%). Group B streptococcus was the major pathogen of very early-onset septicaemia (within 24 h of birth), whereas late-onset infections were most commonly caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci. Birthweight <1500 g, gestational age <30 weeks of gestation and early onset of symptoms within the first week of life were associated with poor prognosis. In addition, the case fatality rate of episodes caused by Gram-negative organisms was significantly higher than that of Gram-positive bacteraemia.

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