Aims: To evaluate the potential benefit of amniotic fluid and amniotic/placental membrane cultures for the management of early-onset sepsis in preterm infants.
Methods: The results of amniotic cavity cultures obtained during cesarean section and of peripheral blood cultures and surface swabs obtained from the preterm infant at the time of admission were analyzed with respect to the diagnosis of clinical sepsis in 221 preterm infants <34 weeks of gestation.
Results: 136 (61.5%) patients had negative amniotic cavity culture results or growth of contaminants, 56 (25.3%) had growth of Ureaplasma urealyticum, and 29 (13.1%) of other pathogens...
Keywords: Amniotic cavity culture, blood culture, early-onset sepsis, preterm infant, surface swab
09/2004 | Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter