Trends of Neonatal Infections in Libya after a Decade: Common Bacteria and Treatment Strategies

Neonatal infections represent a prevalent issue impacting newborns during their initial days, resulting in escalated mortality rates, particularly evident in less developed nations. The aim of this study is to investigate and analyze various aspects related to neonatal infections, including the incidence of deaths among newborns at different times in the same hospitals, the policy of antibiotics used for treatment in neonatal intensive care rooms in Libyan hospitals, and a comparison of the types of microbes present during different years. A total of 112 patients (61 males and 51 females) in 2003 and 120 patients (65 males and 55 females) in 2013, all aged between one day and twenty-eight days, were selected from the neonatal intensive care units of two separate hospitals, Tripoli Medical Centre (TMC) and Al-Jalaa Paediatric Hospital, Tripoli, Libya. Two studies examined the microbes responsible for the beginning of infections in newborns and compared different treatment modalities. Predominant infectious manifestations included septicemia, meningitis, septic arthritis, and pneumonia. A descriptive analysis was performed with SPSS version 23 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Gram-negative Klebsiella and Staphylococcus emerged as the prevalent bacterial strains responsible for neonatal infections. The antibiotic regimens commonly employed in medical facilities in Libya comprised ampicillin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, vancomycin, amoxicillin, meropenem, amikacin, tazocin, and cloxacillin. Gender disparities were observed in the incidence rates of septicemia and meningitis, with the former being more recurrent in females. The collective fatality rate stood at 5–10% among the entire neonatal cohort. Further research and surveillance efforts are warranted to address evolving bacterial resistance patterns and refine therapeutic approaches in this vulnerable population.