Evaluating the Use of Neonatal Colonization Screening for Empiric Antibiotic Therapy of Sepsis and Pneumonia

Bär A, Schmitt-Grohé S, Held J, Lubig J, Hanslik G, Fahlbusch F, Reutter HM, Wölfle J, van der Donk A, Schleier M, Hepp T, Morhart P (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Antibiotics MDPI

Book Volume: 12

Article Number: 189

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020189

Abstract

(1) Background: Since 2013, weekly screening for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDRGN) bacteria has been performed in German neonatal intensive care units (NICU). National guidelines recommend considering these colonization analyses for antibiotic treatment regimens. Our retrospective single center study provides insight into the clinical dichotomy of bacterial colonization and infection rates in neonates. (2) Methods: We analyzed microbiological data of neonates admitted to our tertiary level NICU over nine years. Colonization with MDRGN/Serratia marcescens (SERMA) was compared to microbiological findings in sepsis and pneumonia. (3) Results: We analyzed 917 blood and 1799 tracheal aspirate samples. After applying criteria from the Nosocomial Infection Surveillance for Neonates (NEO-KISS), we included 52 and 55 cases of sepsis and pneumonia, respectively; 19.2% of sepsis patients and 34.5% of pneumonia patients had a prior colonization with MDRGN bacteria or SERMA. In these patients, sepsis was not attributable to MDRGN bacteria yet one SERMA, while in pneumonias, ten MDRGN bacteria and one SERMA were identified. We identified late-onset pneumonia and cesarean section as risk factors for MDRGN/SERMA acquisition. (4) Conclusions: Colonization screening is a useful tool for hygiene surveillance. However, our data suggest that consideration of colonization with MDRGN/SERMA might promote extensive use of last resort antibiotics in neonates.

Authors with CRIS profile

Alisa Bär Professur für Neonatologie Jürgen Held Institute of Microbiology – Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene Julia Lubig Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Fabian Fahlbusch Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Heiko Martin Reutter Professur für Neonatologie Joachim Wölfle Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Tobias Hepp Lehrstuhl für Biometrie und Epidemiologie

How to cite

APA:

Bär, A., Schmitt-Grohé, S., Held, J., Lubig, J., Hanslik, G., Fahlbusch, F.,... Morhart, P. (2023). Evaluating the Use of Neonatal Colonization Screening for Empiric Antibiotic Therapy of Sepsis and Pneumonia. Antibiotics, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020189

MLA:

Bär, Alisa, et al. "Evaluating the Use of Neonatal Colonization Screening for Empiric Antibiotic Therapy of Sepsis and Pneumonia." Antibiotics 12.2 (2023).

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