A retrospective Thai Neonatal Network analysis of 792 very preterm or very-low-birth-weight infants across 22 units found 32 early-onset sepsis cases (4.0%). Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii predominated, with substantial non-susceptibility, especially among the small A. baumannii sample. These registry findings support surveillance and stewardship but do not prescribe an empirical regimen for an individual infant.
Key findings
- Among 792 infants (median gestation 28 weeks; median birth weight 960 g), 32 had early-onset sepsis. Ten isolates were E. coli and nine A. baumannii. Reported non-susceptibility to gentamicin was 44.4% and 83.3%, and to cefotaxime 37.5% and 75.0%, respectively. Chorioamnionitis, a five-minute Apgar score below seven and early neonatal mortality were associated with sepsis, although variable coding and adjusted-effect interpretation require the full paper.
Why this matters globally
This multicentre evidence from a middle-income setting fills an important neonatal data gap and underscores the value of local susceptibility surveillance for antimicrobial stewardship and national monitoring.
Thai researcher contribution
Thai investigators across a 22-unit neonatal network linked universities, regional hospitals and specialist centres to produce nationally relevant service-level evidence.
Limitations to consider
The retrospective registry contained only 32 events; culture and treatment practices may vary by centre, and some antibiogram denominators were very small. Associations are not causal. Adjusted estimates close to one for chorioamnionitis and Apgar require confirmation of coding and scale in the full text.