Prevalence of Meningitis in Patients with Late Neonatal Sepsis in a Reference Maternity - Abstract
Introduction: Neonatal infections are responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates. Neonatal meningitis, meningeal infection occurring up to 28 days of life, can be confirmed by means of laboratory criteria, through the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. In this period, it is an entity with many peculiarities, since the etiology and non-specific clinical presentation are indistinguishable from sepsis.
Objectives: To analyze the prevalence of meningitis in patients with late neonatal sepsis in reference maternity, in the year 2016; to demonstrate the epidemiological variables present in late neonatal sepsis with meningitis and to identify the prevalence of lumbar puncture and study of the cerebrospinal fluid in these newborns.
Methodology: This was a descriptive and retrospective study, in which patients with positive blood cultures in the neonatal period - based on a microbiology report from the institution - and met criteria for late sepsiswere selected. Data were collected from the medical records regarding the diagnosis of meningitis, epidemiological and laboratory data.
Results: Of the 415 patients with late neonatal sepsis, 202 (48.7%) had a formal contraindication to lumbar puncture. Of the remaining 213, only 77 (36.1%) were submitted to CSF for the diagnosis of meningitis. Among the confirmed cases, 19% were identified through the culture of liquor, 23.8% by cytology/ biochemistry and 57.2% by the two methods together. The prevalence of meningitis among patients with late neonatal sepsis was 27.3% (21/77).
Conclusion: A prevalence of meningitis cases was found in children with late neonatal sepsis like the literature, predominantly male, full term and suitable for gestational age. It is extremely worrying to see the number of patients with late sepsis confirmed by blood culture who did not undergo CSF analysis.