Context: Neonatal sepsis refers to systemic bacterial infection documented by positive blood culture in the first four weeks of life and is one of the four leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity in India. Aims: To identify the common bacterial pathogens associated with neonatal sepsis and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Design: This study was a retrospective study to identify the bacterial isolates in neonatal septicaemia and their antimicrobial susceptibility in a tertiary care hospital in KBNTGH Karnataka, from March 2017 to February 2018. Methods: Blood culture in newborns with clinical sign of septicaemia was retrospectively studied. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by Kirbuay -buer disc diffusion susceptibility method in accordance to clinical laboratory standard institute guidelines (CLSI). Statistical Analysis: Chi square test was used to check the test of proportion. Results: 112 cases of septicaemia could be confirmed by blood culture. Of these Gram negative was isolated in (63.3%) of cases and (36.6%) were of gram positive isolates. Kliebsiella was the predominant pathogen (45.5%) among the gram negative pathogens followed by S. Aureus (19.6%) and CONS (16.9%) were the predominant gram positive pathogen. Polymyxin and meropenem were most effective drugs against gram negative isolates were as gram positive organisms showed maximum sensitivity to vancomycin. Conclusions: This study highlights the growing resistance to commonly used antibiotics; also highlights the importance of kleibsiella principle organism responsible for neonatal sepsis in tertiary care settings.

Kaywords: Septicaemia; Neonate; Resistance; Antibiotics; Drugs.