A STUDY OF SERUM ENDOTOXINS IN NEONATAL SEPSIS

Abstract

Neonatal sepsis is a common problem with an associated high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis can be confirmed by blood culture but still there are cases which are clinically suggestive of sepsis with negative blood culture.

In spite of the attraction of the buffy coat smear examination, no study has so far evaluated its relevances in the diagnosis of septicemia in infants in countries with limited diagnostic facilities.

Bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) presents the cell wall in the Gram- Negative organism. Most of the antigenicity of Gram-negative bacteria is associated with the LPS component. LPS binds to lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) to form a complex that passes to cell- membrane associated receptors known as CD14. The aim of this study is to find out if serum endotoxin level can be used as an . indicator in early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Also to compare traditional diagnostic parameters i.e buffy coat smear microscopy with other non­ traditional parameters i.e. serum endotoxin.