Abstract

Neonatal sepsis among low birth weight neonate refers to bacterial infection involving the bloodstream among neonates in the first month of life (0-28 days), weighing 2.500g. Neonatal sepsis is divided into two groups based on the time of presentation after birth, early-onset sepsis (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS). EOS refers to sepsis in neonates at or before 72 hours of life and LOS is defined as sepsis occurring at or after 72 hour.

The objective was to determine the prevalence of neonatal sepsis, to identify the risk factors associated with neonatal sepsis and to come out with the outcomes of neonatal sepsis among low birth weight neonates at the Buea and Limbe Regional Hospital.

A three years retrospective and cross-sectional study was done with a population size of 1188 neonates. A data extraction form was used as data collection tool. The data that was obtained was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)

Out of the 1188 life birth examined in the study, 407 babies were diagnosed with sepsis given a prevalence of 34.25%. In this study, majority of the neonates with sepsis were females (55.6%) and majority were less than 7 days old at the time of diagnosis. Also, majority of the mothers were between the age group 18 to 35 years.  Out of the 407 Diagnosed with neonatal sepsis 89.9% had early onset (less than 72hours) of Neonatal sepsis while 10.1% had late onset (greater than 72 hours)of neonatal sepsis, 407 with neonatal sepsis, 61% were diagnosed at the BRH while the rest (39.1%) were from the LRH. The highest prevalence of neonatal sepsis was recorded in January (12.8%) and December (11.6%). The least prevalence was recorded in the month of May to August (6.2% and 5.2% respectively). Out of the 407 diagnosed with neonatal sepsis, 72 died after management giving a case fatality rate of neonatal spies of 17.7%.

The prevalence of neonatal sepsis was high in Limbe and Buea Regional Hospital with 34.25%.

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