The study aimed at identifying the risk factors for neonatal septicaemia in Zaria.Consecutive newborns admitted into the Special Care Baby Unit of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria with the presumptive test diagnosis of neonatal septicaemia between 25 May, 2004 and 31 May, 2005 were studied. History of events in the antenatal and neonatal periods was obtained and physical examination was done. Blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and swabs of body discharges were taken for culture and sensitivity studies. The data were analysed using Epi Info version 6 software. Associations were tested using Chi square, with Yates correction, or Fisher's exact tests where appropriate, while statistical significance was set at p0.05.A total of 211 neonates, consisting of 69 in-born and 142 out-born infants were studied. There were 122 (57.8%) males and 89 (42.2%) females; giving a male: female ratio of 1.4:1. Seventy-five (35.5%) of the newborns had bacteriologically proven septicaemia consisting of 54 (38.0%) of the outborn and 21 (30.4%) of the inborn babies (p = 0.3535); 42 males and 33 females (p = 0.8011). The male: female ratio of newborns with culture-proven septicaemia was 1.2:1. The predisposing factors that were associated with culture-proven septicaemia were lack of antenatal care (p = 0.0234), prolonged rupture of membranes (p = 0.0085), prolonged labour (p = 0.0032), preterm delivery (p = 0.0125) and perinatal asphyxia (p = 0.0078).The risk factors in neonates with septicaemia in this study emphasise the need for timely improvement in the implementation of existing public health strategies.
