Qualitative C-reactive protein as a marker of neonatal sepsis in a tertiary neonatal unit in Sudan

Submitted: 18 February 2013
Accepted: 7 May 2013
Published: 9 October 2013
Abstract Views: 1431
PDF: 1335
APPENDIX: 721
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Sepsis is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in newborns. Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis may be difficult because clinical presentations are often non-specific. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of qualitative C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, and examine the correlation between C-reactive protein, blood culture and risk factors for sepsis. This was a prospective study, conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Soba University Hospital, Sudan. A total of seventy babies with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis were included. Chi square test was used to determine the association between C-reactive protein and risk factors for sepsis and also the association between C-reactive protein and blood culture. Blood culture was positive in 41.4% of babies, and C-reactive protein was positive in 58% of babies with positive blood culture. There was significant association between C-reactive protein results and blood culture (P=0.00). In conclusion, we can assume that Creactive protein is a reliable diagnostic marker of neonatal sepsis, especially in developing communities with poor resources.

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Abdelmoneim E. Kheir, Department of Pediatrics, University of Khartoum, Khartoum

Assistant professor

Department of Paediatrics

Ghada A. Jobara, Department of Neonatology, Soba University Hospital, Khartoum

Neonatal registrar

Soba university hospital

Kamal M. Elhag, Microbiology Department, Soba University Hospital, Khartoum
Professor of Microbiology
Mohamed Z. Karar, Department of Neonatology, Soba University Hospital, Khartoum
Neonatal resident
Soba university hospital

How to Cite

Kheir, A. E., Jobara, G. A., Elhag, K. M., & Karar, M. Z. (2013). Qualitative C-reactive protein as a marker of neonatal sepsis in a tertiary neonatal unit in Sudan. Healthcare in Low-Resource Settings, 1(2), e21. https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2013.e21