Pneumonia in ventilated babies in an emerging country: clinical features, aetiology and short-term outcome.

Forty-four babies (< 6 months) with pneumonia admitted for ventilation to a paediatric ICU serving a low-income community, were studied. Twenty-three per cent had been ventilated during the neonatal period and three had bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The median duration of symptoms was 1.5 days; 45 per cent presented with apnoea. Five babies (11 per cent) died. Blood cultures were positive in six children (14 per cent). Viruses were cultured in 13 children (30 per cent).