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Background: Neonatal sepsis is a major health problem. Thrombocytopenia in neonates is a serious disorder affecting 1%-5% of neonates at birth and up to 50% of the neonates receiving intensive care. Neonates with this disease are at risk for hemorrhage, particularly intraventricular hemorrhage, negative neurodevelopmental outcomes and increased mortality. One of the chief reasons of neonatal thrombocytopenia is sepsis. Objectives: We aimed to explore the different grades of severity thrombocytopenia and their relationship with diverse types of organisms in blood cultures from neonatal sepsis patients highlighting their prognostic role. Methodology: This is a retrospective study of one year duration including data of culture proven neonatal sepsis patients admitted at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), in Cairo University Pediatric Hospital. Results: We studied 314 neonates diagnosed with sepsis grounded on clinical signs and/or microbiological laboratory results. 171 had positive blood culture; 124 of them were Gram negative bacteria (72.5%) and 47 were gram positive ones (24.4%). Klebsiella spp. was the most repeatedly encountered organism among all positive blood cultures (n=74) (43.3%) and coagulase negative staphylococci was the most frequently isolated Gram positive bacteria (n=22) (12.9%). A total of 134 patients had thrombocytopenia; its degree of severity was ranging from mild, moderate, to severe in 101, 25, and 8 neonates, respectively. We found no association between the severity of thrombocytopenia and the type of organism in blood culture; however, thrombocytopenia was significantly higher among neonates with Gram negative blood cultures (p 0.001). Poor outcome has a statistically remarkable correlation with gestational age and reduced platelet count (p value <0.001). There is a 2.131 increased probability of developing thrombocytopenia in patients with neonatal sepsis. Conclusion:The percentage of thrombocytopenia reported in the blood culture proven sepsis episodes highlights the extent of the problem. The present study found a greater percentage of thrombocytopenia among neonates with Gram negative sepsis compared to those with Gram positive sepsis. Sepsis with Klebsiella spp. needs superior consideration regarding platelet monitoring.

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BACKGROUND: Malnutrition remains a serious problem to child survival, growth, and development in underdeveloped countries. AIM: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among under-five children. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional community-based study. It was conducted on 320 mother-child pairs through household visits in Nahia; a rural village in Giza governorate, Egypt. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data regarding sociodemographic characteristic, feeding pattern, including breastfeeding and weaning practices. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height) and Hb level were measured for all the studied participants. RESULTS: The mean age of the children was 35.98 ± 15.8 months, and the mean age of mothers was 28 ± 4.6 years. Stunting was found in 16.2%, wasting in 9%, and underweight in 15.6% of children, with a total malnutrition of 79 (24.7%). Nearly half of children were anemic(51.2%). Many risk factors were contributing to malnutrition as socioeconomic status, age of mother at giving her first birth, and child birth weight. CONCLUSION: Stunting and anemia were the predominant nutritional problems among children so nutritional counseling for mothers is needed to improve feeding practices of their children.

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