Neonatal early onset Escherichia coli sepsis: trends in incidence and antimicrobial resistance in the era of intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis

Abstract

Although the incidence of early onset sepsis caused by E. coli remained stable during the study period, antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections increased among preterm infants. On the whole these trends are reassuring with respect to GBS prophylaxis. However, the increase in the proportion of ampicillin-resistant infections in preterm infants suggests that continuing evaluation of the risks and benefits of prophylaxis in this group is critical.