How common is neonatal sepsis?

2 per 1000: Fore every 1000 babies born alive, 2 get neonatal sepsis. Many more get treated for suspicion of sepsis.

Not common: There are two types of new born sepsis. Early onset-one that happens within a week of birth, and the late onset- which occurs after 3-4 weeks of birth. There are different organisims responsible for each kind. Group b strep, or gbs is responsible for most of the early onset type. Only one in 2000 new born of the moms treated for gbs at labor manifested sepsis. (pediatr infect dis j. Sep 2011;30(9).