Early-onset sepsis: can we screen fewer babies safely?

Background: Over the past 2-3 years at the Southwest Peninsula tertiary neonatal unit in Plymouth, the authors have observed an increase in the number of clinically well term infants being screened and treated with antibiotics for infection in accordance with NICE guidance. The aim of our study was to assess the safety of implementing the Kaiser Permanente Early Onset Sepsis (KPEOS) calculator to minimise antibiotic usage in term infants in line with antimicrobial stewardship, reducing separation from mother at birth and facilitating earlier discharge.

Methods: A 2-year retrospective review of medical records from 2014 to 2015 inclusive revealed 9217 deliveries, with 1550 infants (16.