Early onset neonatal bacterial infections

The evaluation of a neonate with suspected sepsis is one of the most common, most demanding, and most important tasks of the pediatrician or neonatologist. This review summarizes the difficulties in the prompt diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and the appropriate utilization of screening laboratory tests of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid in this setting. The appropriate utilization of these laboratory tests requires careful consideration of the inherent limitations and appreciation of the sensitivity and specificity of these tests for the diagnosis of early onset bacteremia and sepsis.