[The pathogen spectrum of blood cultures of premature and newborn infants in a neonatal intensive care unit].

The bacterial spectrum of blood cultures in a neonatal intensive-care unit was retrospectively assessed in a two-year study. Analysis of positive blood cultures showed a dominance of gram-positive bacteria, especially of coagulase-negative staphylococci. The resistance of these germs points to vancomycin as the most effective antibiotic. B-streptococci, germs that are dreaded especially in neonatology, were not found in any of the cases. Positive blood cultures were mostly in correlation with clinical symptoms, less so to the leukocyte count and/or C-reactive protein levels. There was no case of death directly caused by sepsis.