Early onset neonatal sepsis presents clinically within the first 7 days after delivery.
Presentation of early onset neonatal sepsis may be one or both of the following:
(1) a positive culture from a sterile site
(2) multisystem disease without a satisfactory explanation
Risk factors for early onset neonatal sepsis identified on multivariate analysis:
(1) low gestational age at delivery
(2) use of tocolytic drugs prior to delivery
Additional features associated with early onset neonatal sepsis:
(1) low birthweight (<= 1,000 grams)
(2) umbilical cord pH < 7.2
(3) treatment with oxygen (but also used in 75% of infants without early onset sepsis)
(4) chorioamnionitis with prolonged premature rupture of the membranes (> 18 hours)
(5) maternal treatment during the pregnancy with magnesium
(6) maternal treatment during the pregnancy with indomethacin
(7) maternal treatment during the pregnancy with multiple doses of corticosteroids
Neonates with early onset sepsis had a higher rate of meningitis.
