Question
What are the clinical characteristics of neonatal sepsis?
Answer
Mild symptoms may include reduced feeding, weakness, low or decreased crying, listlessness, poor appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea. Some infants may also have a fever. Severe symptoms can include abnormal body temperature, decreased appetite, crying, or activity levels, abnormal facial color, skin bleeding, enlargement of the heart and liver, difficulty breathing, abdominal swelling, and even seizures or coma. During an outbreak of septicemia, approximately 1/3 of infants may experience complications such as shock, edema, or disseminated intravascular coagulation.