Frequency of Meningitis in Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis-A cross sectional descriptive study

Shisher Agrawal — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Late-onset neonatal sepsis (LOS) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries. Bacterial meningitis is a serious complication of LOS and may lead to severe neurological outcomes if not diagnosed early. Early detection through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis plays an important role in the management of neonates with suspected sepsis.
Objective: To determine the frequency of meningitis among neonates presenting with late-onset sepsis.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics at a tertiary care hospital over a period of six months. A total of 100 neonates aged 7–28 days presenting with clinical features of late-onset sepsis were included using non-probability consecutive sampling. Lumbar puncture was performed under aseptic conditions, and CSF samples were analyzed for cytological and biochemical parameters. Additional investigations including complete blood count, C-reactive protein, and blood culture were also performed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings.
Results: Out of the 100 neonates with late-onset sepsis, meningitis was diagnosed in 16% of cases. Male neonates constituted the majority of the study population. The mean age of presentation was approximately 16 days. Seizures, respiratory distress, and lethargy were the most common clinical manifestations. Blood culture positivity was observed in a proportion of neonates, although meningitis was also detected in cases with negative blood culture results.
Conclusion: Meningitis was found to occur in a notable proportion of neonates with late-onset sepsis. Routine CSF examination in neonates presenting with suspected LOS is important for early diagnosis and timely initiation of appropriate treatment, which may help reduce morbidity and mortality.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.7181.202601

How to cite this article: Agrawal S, Frequency of Meningitis in Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis-A cross sectional descriptive study. J Adv Res Med 2026; 13(1): 1-6.

Journal of Advanced Research in Medicine (E-ISSN: 2349-7181 & P-ISSN: 2394-7047)

Frequency of Meningitis in Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis-A cross sectional descriptive study