Pentraxin-3 in Diagnosis of Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis

Abstract

eonatal sepsis defines the systemic condition that arises from bacterial, viral, or fungal origin, associated with hemodynamic changes and clinical findings and causing severe morbidity and mortality. EOS typically represents an infection that presents itself within the first 3 days of life (<72 h), but some researchers extend this limit up to the first week of life. LOS is described as an infection occurring after the fourth or seventh day of life within the neonatal period. EOS is considered as a maternal-fetal infection and LOS is mainly considered hospital-acquired. Early diagnosis is important for early intervention and treatment. This diagnosis in neonates is usually based on frequently repeated laboratory tests (white blood cell count with the immature-to-total ratio, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin levels) with accompanying clinical manifestation and sepsis scores (Rodwell’s hematological scores & Tollner’s scores & SNAP 11) The most valuable method for diagnosis is blood culture; however, false positivity due to contamination or false negativity despite ongoing fatal bacterial infections can be seen.