Merck Manual

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Sepsis in Newborns

(Sepsis Neonatorum; Neonatal Sepsis)

By

Brenda L. Tesini

, MD, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Reviewed/Revised Oct 2022 | Modified Sep 2023
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Sepsis is a serious bodywide reaction to infection spread through the blood.

Sepsis is more likely to occur in

Other risk factors for and causes of sepsis differ depending on when sepsis develops. The start (onset) is categorized as

  • Early-onset sepsis: Before 3 days of life

  • Late-onset sepsis: After 3 days or more of life

Preterm infants Preterm (Premature) Newborns A preterm newborn is a baby delivered before 37 weeks of gestation. Depending on when they are born, preterm newborns may have underdeveloped organs that are not be ready to function outside... read more are at much higher risk of both early-onset and late-onset sepsis than are infants born at full term because of their immature immune system. Preterm newborns lack certain protective antibodies against specific bacteria because they were born before they could receive them from their mother.

Early-onset sepsis

Newborns can develop early-onset sepsis if they are exposed to certain kinds of bacteria during birth.

Risk factors for early-onset sepsis include the following:

The risk of sepsis is greater if the fluid-filled membranes that surround the fetus rupture more than 18 hours before birth or if the mother has an infection (particularly of the urinary tract or lining of the uterus).

The most common types of bacteria causing sepsis in the newborn around the time of birth are Escherichia coli and GBS, which are usually acquired during passage through the birth canal. Sepsis caused by GBS was the leading cause of early-onset sepsis until about a decade ago when screening of all expectant mothers for GBS became a routine part of prenatal care. If screening reveals GBS or if the mother previously gave birth to a newborn who had a GBS infection, the mother is given antibiotics when she goes into labor. Although the newborn may require additional monitoring in the hospital and possibly blood tests to check for infection, newborns are given antibiotics only if they have symptoms or signs of infection.

Late-onset sepsis

Newborns can develop late-onset sepsis if they are exposed to certain kinds of bacteria in the hospital.

Important risk factors for late-onset sepsis include the following:

Sepsis that occurs later is more likely to be acquired from organisms in the newborn's environment, including through or around catheters (a tube doctors use to get fluids or medications into the newborn's bloodstream, such as an IV, or a tube used to drain urine from the newborn's bladder) and other medical equipment, rather than organisms acquired from the birth canal. The use of certain antibiotics can allow certain organisms such as the fungus Candida to cause infections in the newborn.

Symptoms of Sepsis in Newborns

Newborns with sepsis are usually listless, do not feed well, and often have an unstable body temperature. A fever that lasts for more than an hour is uncommon, but, when present, typically indicates the newborn has an infection.

Other symptoms may include trouble breathing (respiratory distress), pauses in breathing (apnea), pale color, and poor skin circulation, with cool extremities, abdominal swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, jitteriness, and jaundice Jaundice in the Newborn Jaundice is a yellow color to the skin and/or eyes caused by an increase in bilirubin in the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a yellow substance formed when hemoglobin (the part of red blood cells... read more Jaundice in the Newborn . Group B streptococcus infection may cause pneumonia Overview of Pneumonia Pneumonia is an infection of the small air sacs of the lungs (alveoli) and the tissues around them. Pneumonia is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. The most common symptom of... read more Overview of Pneumonia . Other symptoms occur depending on which organism is causing the infection.

Complications of sepsis

Diagnosis of Sepsis in Newborns

  • Cultures of blood and sometimes urine

  • Spinal tap with culture of the spinal fluid

Doctors diagnose sepsis based on the newborn’s symptoms and the results of tests. Doctors do several tests, including blood tests, to try to determine the specific bacterium, virus, or fungus that is causing the infection.

A blood culture, sometimes a urine culture, and a spinal tap Spinal Tap Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination. Imaging tests commonly used to diagnose nervous system (neurologic) disorders... read more Spinal Tap (lumbar puncture) are also done. For cultures, doctors take samples of blood, spinal fluid, and urine and try to grow (culture) the bacteria in the samples in the laboratory and identify it.

Newborns with breathing problems undergo a chest x-ray.

Prognosis for Sepsis in Newborns

Treatment of Sepsis in Newborns

  • Antibiotics by vein (intravenously)

  • Sometimes a ventilator or other treatments

While awaiting blood culture results, doctors give strong antibiotics intravenously to newborns with suspected sepsis. Once they identify the specific organism, they may adjust the type of antibiotic.

In addition to antibiotic therapy, other treatments may be needed, such as use of a machine that helps with breathing (mechanical ventilator Mechanical Ventilation Mechanical ventilation is use of a machine to aid the movement of air into and out of the lungs. Some people with respiratory failure need a mechanical ventilator (a machine that helps air get... read more ), intravenous fluids, blood and plasma transfusions, and drugs that support blood pressure and circulation.

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