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What Does The Test Report Indicate?

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Posted on Mon, 10 Nov 2014
Question: I've been blessed with a boy on 12th October, 2014 at 9.50 PM. He is my first issue and came through vaginal delivery. He started crying just after birth and breast feeding was normal during first 24hrs. From the next day he started crying excessively and later onwards he stopped sucking. then we consulted a DCH and he suspected septicemia and suggested to hospitalised him immediately. We did as the Dr suggested. Doctor after hospitalisation started meropenem I.V and tazobactam I.V form 14th October at 7PM. Next day doctor took blood samples from my son did some test and the reports are following.
Hemoglobin (cyanmethemoglobin method): 15.9 gms%
TC leukocytes 7750 /cumm
DC
neutrophils 63 %
lymphocytes 33%
monocytes 01%
eosinophils 03%
Basophils 00%
Bilirubin
Total 9.8 mg/dl
Conjugated 0.7 mg/dl
unconjugated 9.1 mg/dl
C. Reactive Protein 2.0
My baby is improving and still in NICU. But the doctor is not doing blood culture after our several request and he is saying that it is not so much necessary as he thinks that it is mild infection and he he didn't want puncture unnecessarily. My question is what to do? whether he is right or wrong?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Arun (14 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
blood culture is required

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing to us.
Neonatal sepsis needs blood culture , no matter what your doctor says.
But as your baby is already on antibiotics for the past 4 days, doing blood culture now may not reveal any organism.
Anyways the reports you mentioned seem to suggest only mild infection.
I would suggest you to complete 5 days of antibiotics and then do a blood culture. If culture is positive, appropriate antibiotics may be needed till culture is negative.
Dont worry.

Wishing your baby speedy recovery.
Dr Arun
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
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Answered by
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Dr. Arun

Pediatrician, Pulmonology

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 1966 Questions

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What Does The Test Report Indicate?

Brief Answer: blood culture is required Detailed Answer: Hi Thanks for writing to us. Neonatal sepsis needs blood culture , no matter what your doctor says. But as your baby is already on antibiotics for the past 4 days, doing blood culture now may not reveal any organism. Anyways the reports you mentioned seem to suggest only mild infection. I would suggest you to complete 5 days of antibiotics and then do a blood culture. If culture is positive, appropriate antibiotics may be needed till culture is negative. Dont worry. Wishing your baby speedy recovery. Dr Arun