Journal of Translational Medical Research

Background and Aim: Septicemia is one of the important and prevalent diseases of neonatal period with a high rate of complications and mortality. Diagnosis of maternal and newborn risk factors is very helpful in the prevention of the disease.

Materials and Method: This study was done on all the newborns suspected of having sepsis and admitted to the newborn ward and NICU of Valiy-e-Asr Hospital. Data were gathered through a structural questionnaire.

Results: The subjects were 49 boys and 51 girls. Early and late cases of septicemia were equal. Most of the newborns were pre-term or low birth weight (LBW). The most prevalent finding was poor breast-feeding (80%), 42% of them suffered temperature fluctuation (hypothermia and hyperthermia). Anemia, positive CRP, and high ESR were diagnosed in 14, 11 and 13 percents of the patients, respectively. From 67 blood culture done, 6 cases (8.9%) were positive; the most prevalent germ was staphilococus coagulase negative. From 42 urine culture done, 6 cases (14.2%) were positive; the most common germ was E.coli. Mortality rate was 30%.

Conclusion: Both pre-term and LBW are both risk factors for newborn septicemia. Preventive measures to reduce the birth of such newborns and after birth intensive care therapies are recommended.

  Entamoeba histolytica is a common parasitic infection in children that causes ameboebic colitis. This infection is more common in the tropical areas with low socioeconomic levels. Extra intestinal complications such as liver abscess are fatal in children. It is very rarely reported in the neonatal period. In this report, a 25-day-old newborn suffering from amoebic dysentery is presented without known predisposing factors. The patient was successfully treated with Metronidazol. Physical examination and laboratory tests revealed no abnormal finding in later follow up and the infant had normal growth and development.