Epidemiology of Invasive Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis, 2005 to 2014

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Escherichia coli have historically dominated as causes of early-onset neonatal sepsis. Widespread use of intrapartum prophylaxis for GBS disease led to concerns about the potential adverse impact on E coli incidence.

Active, laboratory, and population-based surveillance for culture-positive (blood or cerebrospinal fluid) bacterial infections among infants 0 to 2 days of age was conducted statewide in Minnesota and Connecticut and in selected counties of California and Georgia during 2005 to 2014. Demographic and clinical information were collected and hospital live birth denominators were used to calculate incidence rates (per 1000 live births). We used the Cochran-Amitage test to assess trends.