[Study of neonatal septicemia and meningitis].

Departments of pediatrics and hospital laboratories gather, since September 1986, epidemiological data about babies with bacterial septicaemia and/or meningitis in the first 27 days of life. About 30 hospitals are at present participating to the program on a voluntary basis. The present study was undertaken to determine the factors predisposing to the development of these serious infections, in order to help identify infants at high risk of infection. The data are completed on a special report form which is sent back to the Service of Epidemiology of the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, which is coordinating the programme. Recorded data include demographic characteristics, risk factors during pregnancy and during labor and delivery, newborn factors, laboratory findings about newborn and maternal infections, use of invasive procedures, treatment and outcome. A feedback system is organized which returns the analyzed data by means of six-monthly reports.