Umbilical Cord Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sepsis Complications for Neonates

Is quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing of umbilical cord tissue for common pathogens more effective than blood culture for predicting neonatal sepsis complications? In this prognostic study of 15 290 preterm infants, qPCR yielded positive results for Enterobacteriaceae or Group B Streptococcus in 41.2% of infants who died from sepsis within the first week of life and in 8.2% of those who developed the most severe form of intraventricular hemorrhage. Blood culture had lower sensitivity, yielding positive results for 23.5% of infants who died from sepsis within the first week of life and 1.6% of those who developed the most severe form of intraventricular hemorrhage. These findings suggest that blood culture underestimates the clinical burden of neonatal sepsis.

Corresponding Author: Wolfgang Göpel, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany (wolfgang.goepel@uksh.de).

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