Background Current evidence on vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and neonatal outcome among exposed newborns is emerging and posing a challenge for preventive interventions. Perinatal transmission to the neonates especially during breastfeeding and rooming in is also relatively unknown. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted in Kalinga Institute of Medical Science (KIMS), Odisha state from 1 st May to 20 th October 2020. A total of 165 neonates born to SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers were enrolled. Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) testing was done in first 32 neonates in initial 24 hours of life. Results The clinical characteristics of 162 mothers & 165 neonates were analyzed. Mode of delivery was by caesarian section in most (n=103, 60%) cases. Three (3/32, 9.4%) inborn and 6 outborn neonates were SARS-CoV-2 positive. Thirty-eight (23%) babies needed neonatal intensive care. Clinical characteristics of neonates were meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF, [23.63%]), prematurity (16.9%), respiratory distress (10.5%), moderate to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (3.6%), sepsis (7%) and hyperbilirubinemia (8.7%). Out of 138 stable babies kept on mother side and initiated breast feeding, none of them developed any signs and symptoms attributable to SARS-CoV-2. Five (3%) neonates died in COVID hospital of which one baby was SARS-CoV-2 positive. Conclusion There was an increased rate of incidences of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, meconium stained liquor and cesarean section delivery in COVID hospital. We found a possible vertical transmission in 9.4% cases. None of the neonates developed sign and symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection during rooming in and breast feeding.

To find the diagnostic utility of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. MethodologyThe case records of all blood culture-positive septic neonates admitted from January 2018 to December 2018 were reviewed. Total leucocyte count, absolute neutrophil count, absolute lymphocyte counts, NLR, and Creactive protein (CRP) of septic neonates were compared with gestational age-matched nonseptic neonates by an unpaired t-test. The diagnostic performance of NLR and CRP was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. ResultA total of 41 blood culture-positive neonates and 52 nonseptic neonates were enrolled in this study. There was no significant difference in the total leucocyte count and absolute neutrophil counts of septic and nonseptic neonates. The mean absolute lymphocyte count of septic neonates (2795±1424/cumm) was significantly lower than that of nonseptic neonates (4449±1794/cumm; p=<0.001). The mean NLR of septic neonates (3.88±1.78) was significantly higher as compared to nonseptic (2.3404 ±1.98) neonates (p=0.045). For the diagnosis of sepsis, NLR at cutoff >1.7 had a sensitivity and specificity of 68.3% and 46.2%, respectively; CRP at cutoff >6 mg/dl had sensitivity and specificity of 78.05% and 92.31%, respectively. In the ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for CRP and NLR for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was 0.918 (p=<0.001) and 0.623 (p=0.042), respectively. ConclusionBlood culture-positive septic neonates had significantly higher NLR as compared to nonseptic neonates. However, when compared to CRP, NLR was not found to be a better predictor of sepsis in our study.

Background: The objective is to study the various social and demographic determinants of severe acute malnutrition in children aged 6 months to 59 months in a tertiary care centre of Odisha, India.Methods: This is a hospital based prospective observational study done in a tertiary care centre of Odisha during the period of Nov 2015 to Oct 2017 in which all children with severe acute malnutrition as per WHO criteria in the age group 6 months to 59 months were enrolled and their socioeconomic and demographic details were evaluated.Results: Present study revealed a prevalence of severe acute malnutrition as 2.8%. Males (54.2%) were more affected than females (45.8%). Most common age group affected was 6-12 months (37.4%). Most of the children were from low socioeconomic status (96.4%) and from rural areas (84.8%).63.7% of the study population were unimmunised. Only 12.6% of the participants were exclusively  breast fed.100% of the children in the study population received top feeding with cow’s milk.Conclusions: The prevalence of malnutrition is high in Odisha but most of the causative factors are preventable. Adequate education regarding exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, immunisation, promotion of proper referral and health care services can help to improve nutritional status in the state of Odisha.

IntroductionIn India, blood culture-positive sepsis results in mortality in 33%-35% of affected neonates. Nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB), particularly Acinetobacter baumannii and Burkholderia cepacia commonly cause hospital-acquired infection. Materials and methodsWe performed a subgroup analysis as part of a prospective study conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit in a tertiary care hospital in Odisha, India, between January 2017 and December 2020. Neonates with blood culture-positive sepsis caused by NFGNB were enrolled in this study. Demographic characteristics of the neonates, clinical features of sepsis, complications, need for supportive care, and blood culture sensitivity patterns were recorded and analyzed. ResultsA total of 168 organisms were isolated in blood cultures during our study period, of which 48 (29%) were NFGNB species. Among these 48 species, A. baumannii (37.5%) and B. cepacia (33.3%) were the most common NFGNB in our study. Neonates with sepsis commonly exhibited feeding intolerance (64.5%), circulatory insufficiency that necessitated vasopressor treatment (54.1%), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (35.4%), seizures (33.3%), and the need for respiratory support (56.2%). NFGNB were multidrug-resistant (MDR) in 70.8% of cases, and 93.7% of B. cepacia and 55.5% of A. baumannii were MDR. ConclusionsA. baumannii and B. cepacia are NFGNB commonly isolated in neonatal cases of blood culture-positive sepsis. The prevalence of MDR NFGNB sepsis is gradually increasing, which poses a threat to neonates. Strict aseptic precautions and antibiotic stewardship are thus mandatory in perinatal practice.

Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate sensitive pattern of causative organisms of neonatal sepsis with its clinical outcome in a tertiary neonatal care unit of eastern India.Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study was done in a tertiary care hospital of Odisha. All the blood culture positive neonatal sepsis cases, excluding neonates with multiple congenital malformations, diagnosed during January 2017 to December 2018 were analysed using descriptive summary statistics.Results: A total of 73 neonatal sepsis cases were diagnosed by BacT/Alert and VITEK-2 blood culture method. Among them, 50 (68%) babies had gram negative sepsis,14 (19%) cases of gram-positive sepsis and nine (13%) cases of fungal sepsis. In present study 38 (52%) cases were early onset sepsis, 38(52 %) babies were term, 55(75%) were male and 44 (60%) babies were out born. Klebsiella pneumonia and Acinetobacter were the most common organism in early onset and late onset sepsis respectively. Among gram negative organism (GNB), 66% were multi drug resistant. A fifty percent of gram-negative organism were sensitive to meropenem and 28% were sensitive to piperacillin/tazobactam. The sensitivity of GNB to colistin, ciprofloxacin, amikacin was 76%, 64% and 56% respectively. The sensitivity of gram-positive organisms to linezolid, vancomycin, teicoplanin and penicillin were 92%, 85%,85% and 20% respectively. Survival rate among culture positive sepsis was 83%.Conclusions: Multi drug organisms are emerging in modern neonatal care practice. Practice of antibiotic stewardship may save the babies from multidrug resistance organism in future.

Background: Febrile seizures are very common in pediatric practice. We need to differentiate between febrile seizures and other seizures due to central nervous system (CNS) infection by various means of investigation. Though approximately 30% of patients with febrile seizure have later epilepsy and the risk is around 20% even if electroencephalogram (EEG), and neuro-imagings are normal. But data regarding this is laking in developing countries like India.Aim: The primary objective of this study is to determine the hospital-based prevalence among various types and etiologies of seizures in children admitted to the pediatric department in a teaching hospital of a developing country, India. Besides, the different types of seizures were correlated with the EEG and neuroimaging findings along with the acute onset of seizures among children. Conclusion:The study concluded that EEG must be the standard modality of test for patients' diagnosis of seizure in children with seizures. CT/MRI scan can give a better supplement to the results but MRI findings are more accurate in cases of complex febrile seizures.

To compare the bilirubin levels measured by transcutaneous bilirubinometer and serum samples for the management of jaundice in preterm neonates. MethodsThe study was a prospective comparative observational study conducted in a tertiary care neonatal unit of Odisha from January 2019 to June 2020. All inborn and outborn neonates with a gestational age of 28 0/7 weeks to 36 6/7 weeks with the clinical diagnosis of neonatal jaundice were included in the study. Transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was estimated by Dragger jaundice meter JM-105 and simultaneously venous blood and total serum bilirubin levels (TSB) were measured by diazonium method. The comparison between TcB and TSB values was analyzed by direct linear correlation in scatter plot and Bland-Altman plot. ResultsA total of 167 preterm neonates (66, 28-33 6/7 and 111, 34-36 6/7 ), with a mean gestational age 33.55 ±2.36 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1960 ± 613 grams, were analyzed. The mean TSB and TcB levels were 12.99 ± 3.47 mg/dl (min-max 4.9-18.3 mg/dl) and 14.156 ± 4.71 mg/dl (min-max 4-20.1 mg/dL), respectively. The TcB is excellently correlated with TSB with a correlation coefficient of r =0.948, p ≤0.001. The bias difference between TcB and TSB is -1.16 (95% CI: 2.35, -4.6) mg/dl. The correlation coefficients between 28-33 6/7 weeks gestational age groups (r = 0.944) and 34-36 6/7 gestational age (r = 0.950) were similar. ConclusionTcB is well correlated with TSB level in preterm neonates. Hence, TcB can be used for the guidance of management in these neonates.

Thyroid dysfunction is more common in preterm and low birth weight infants, and may be missed if thyroid function test (TFT) is not repeated. Thus, we attempted to study the pattern of thyroid function among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with birth weight less than 1,500 g by serial TFTs. Serum free thyroxine (FT4) and thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]) levels of VLBW infants were tested on fifth to seventh days of life and repeated after 4 weeks of age. Based on serial FT4 and TSH results, abnormal TFT was classified into four groups—transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity (THOP), transient hyperthyrotropinemia (THT), delayed TSH rise, and overt congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Stata 15.1 (Stata Corp, Texas, United States) was used for analysis. Ninety-six VLBW infants were enrolled with mean gestational age of 30.5 ± 2.7 weeks and median (interquartile range) birth weight of 1,200 (317) g. Out of 96 cases, 30 (31.2%) infants had abnormal TFT. Ten (10.4%) infants had THOP, 7 (7.3%) infants had THT, 11 (11.5%) infants had delayed TSH rise, and 2 (2.1%) infants had overt CH. There were no significant differences in demographic profile and clinical characteristics between neonates with normal and abnormal TFTs. Five infants required levothyroxine supplementation (two infants with overt CH and three infants with delayed TSH rise). VLBW neonates have higher incidence of CH and delayed rise of TSH in this study. In resource-limited settings, repeating TFTs at least once after 4 weeks of age may be suggested to identify delayed rise of TSH which may need intervention.