Title: Hematological Profile in Diagnosing Early Neonatal Sepsis
Authors: Mohammad Khushnood, Priya Vijaykumar Gameti, Nitin Chaudhary, Mala Jain
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i2.76
Abstract
Introduction: Systemic infection in first month of life have remained as major cause of mortality and morbidity despite the development of broad spectrum antimicrobial agents. In India incidence of sepsis is 38 per 1000 live births in tertiary care institutes and it contributes to 36% of deaths in hospitals. To prevent serious morbidity and mortality caused by untreated or late treated neonatal septicemia, it is important that the diagnosis is made early and the treatment is started as early as possible. The present study was aimed to evaluate the neonatal clinical manifestations and their hematological parameters, for rapid identification of early onset neonatal sepsis (EOS).
Material and Methods: This study was conducted at hematology section, Department of pathology, Government Medical College, Dungarpur. Blood samples of the neonates were collected at the time of admission and before initiation of antibiotic therapy. WBC< 5000 or >20,000 /mm3 were considered abnormal. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was calculated, toxic granules, premature cells also noted.
Observations and Results: A total of 60 neonates were included in which 36% cases of culture positive and 11% cases of culture negative presented with low count while 10% cases of culture positive and 10% cases of culture negative presented with leucocytosis. Out of 35 proven cases 32%cases have ANC less than 1800/mm3 and 26% cases had ≥ to 1800/mm3. (35%) of proven cases have band cell count more than 20%.52% proven cases showed I/T ratio≥0.2 while 06% showed I/T ratio <0.2 . 19 (31%) of proven cases showed presence of cytoplasmic vacuoles in neutrophil .41%) cases showed presence of toxic granules.
Conclusion: It is simple, rapid, cheap and does not need special laboratory facilities which makesit useful in the early detection of neonatal sepsis.
Keywords: sepsis, neutrophils, ANC, toxic granules.
