Faculty Collaboration Database

Time to positive blood cultures in neonatal sepsis evaluations. J Perinatol 2025 Jul;45(7):993-996

Date

05/18/2025

Pubmed ID

40382485

DOI

10.1038/s41372-025-02323-z

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105005095124 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   4 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the time to blood culture positivity among neonates evaluated for sepsis to determine when antibiotics may be safely discontinued.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of clinically relevant blood culture time to positivity from infants in a neonatal intensive care unit. The primary endpoint was overall median time to blood culture positivity. Secondary endpoints compared time to positivity among gram-positive versus gram-negative organisms, early versus late onset sepsis, and a sub-analysis excluding contaminants.

RESULT: Among 151 cultures, the overall median time to positivity was 17 h (IQR 12-23). Most (47/48, 97.9%) gram-negative organisms resulted within 24 h and most (88/94, 93.6%) gram-positive by 36 h. All (13/13, 100%) early onset cultures resulted within 24 h and most (132/138, 95.7%) late onset by 36 h.

CONCLUSION: Antibiotics for neonatal sepsis evaluation may be safely discontinued in well-appearing infants without an identified infection source with negative cultures at 36 h.

Author List

Willey E, Mitchell M, Ehlert C, Swoveland J, Zembles T

Author

Michelle Mitchell MD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Blood Culture
Female
Gram-Negative Bacteria
Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Male
Neonatal Sepsis
Retrospective Studies
Time Factors