Neutrophil CD64 as an Early Diagnostic Marker in Neonatal Sepsis Protocol of Thesis

Abstract

Sepsis in newborns is a common fatal disorder affecting 1.1-2.7% of all newborns. In spite of extensive research and development in understanding and treatment of neonatal sepsis, sepsis continues to be a major source of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal population. Neonatal sepsis (NS) remains a diagnostic burden problem by showing minimal initial symptoms of subtle character, nonspecific manifestations, and diagnostic pitfalls. The clinical course can be fulminate and fatal if treatment is not commenced promptly. It is therefore crucial to establish early diagnosis and initiate adequate therapy. The rapid diagnosis and management of infection are heavily dependent upon clinical assessment. Blood culture may take up to 7 days for results and may be inconclusive, thus there is an urgent need for a specific marker to aid in early diagnosis of sepsis as live saving measure. In the past few years, attention has been directed to leukocyte cell surface antigens as diagnostic markers of neonatal sepsis, One marker that has shown particular promise as an early marker for infection is neutrophi