నైరూప్య

Role of Complement System, C-Reactive Protein and White Blood Cell Counts in the Diiagnosis of Neonatal Septicemia in Gaza city Hospitals

Mansour Sobhi El Yazji, Mona Ishak Fahid, Azhar Abed El Karim Hussein, Abed El Hakeem and Noman El Jadba

Objective: to evaluate the serum levels of complement, CRP and WBCs count for diagnosis of neonatal septicemia in Neonatal Intensive care units (NICU) in Gaza City Hospitals.Methodology: This prospective descriptive study was carried out in Al-Nasser and Al-Shifa hospitals in Gaza City, between January 2004 to January 2005. Blood Samples were collected at admission and during infection. Results: five hundred seventy nine enrolled babies, 193 (33%)were classified as early-onset septicemia, 135 (23%) as late-onset septicemia and 251 (44%) as a nosocomial septicemia. WBCs count were lowat 7%of cases, and high at 23%of cases at admission while leucocytosis were recorded in 30% of cases at follow up. Values of Creactive protein were higher is septicemic neonates with a positive blood culture exhibiting 72%. The concentrations of C3 & C4 levels were low in (99%) of cases at admission, while after infections took place, (33%) had a normal level, 67% had increased levels of C3, whereas C4 shows lowlevels (64%) at admission and increased in (79%) of cases after proven infection. Conclusion: our study suggests that no individual test can diagnose infected neonates, and that although the combination of WBCs count, Creactive protein values and C3 & C4 levels exhibits a high specificity.