Evaluation of Molecular Diagnostic Results in Iraqi Newborns with Sepsis

Background and Aim: Sepsis is a major cause of disease and death in newborns. This study largely aims to assess the outcomes of newborns with sepsis who underwent to molecular diagnostics.

Methods: A study was conducted in hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq, on 66 infants during the follow-up period from March 2023 to March 2024. Patient data were extracted and analyzed using SPSS 22.0 on Iraqi newborn patients with sepsis. Our study recorded patient and clinical data, including demographics, maternal and neonatal characteristics, symptoms, and etiologies, which were analyzed for their impact on neonatal outcomes in the hospital.

Results: Based on our outcomes, all 66 patients' data were collected from hospitals. In terms of early-onset sepsis (EOS), we found fever got 88.89% and low birth weight (92.59%) were considered as the most common symptom and cause prevalence in patients, GBS (33.33%), E. COIL (25.93%), hospital stays (28.5 ± 3.4) days, mortality (22.22%), serious brain injury (22.22%), and retinopathy of prematurity ≥ 2 (33.33%). In terms of late-onset sepsis (LOS), it observed patients’ data following feeding intolerance got 75.0%, respiratory distress (35.0%), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (57.50%), staphylococcus aureus (67.50%) were considered as the most common symptom and cause prevalence in patients, CONS (55.0%), E. COIL (12.5%), hospital stays (11.6 ± 2.6) days, mortality (5.0%), serious brain injury (5.0%), and retinopathy of prematurity ≥ 2 (7.5%).

Conclusion: Sepsis continues to be associated with a higher risk of mortality and longer stays in hospitals, along with more chances of brain damage in survivors, although we have noted a decline in those patients with late-onset sepsis in juxtaposition to patients suffering from early-onset sepsis.