Laboratory Evaluation of Neonatal Sepsis

Bacterial infections can be a devastating complication in the newborn and continue to be a significant cause of mortality and long-term morbidity of hospitalized newborns and premature infants. The diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is difficult to establish and remains a challenge for neonatal health care providers. Early signs and symptoms of neonatal sepsis are often nonspecific and easily confused with conditions that are expected in this population. Neonatal care providers have evaluated numerous tests searching for one that would be helpful in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, one that quickly confirms the diagnosis, and one that conclusively rules it out. This article examines the tests in current use and some of the more recent diagnostic markers used alone or in combination to improve sensitivity and specificity for early detection of sepsis.