Incidence and risk factors for neonatal tetanus in admissions to Kilifi County Hospital, Kenya.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neonatal Tetanus (NT) is a preventable cause of mortality and neurological sequelae that occurs at higher incidence in resource-poor countries, presumably because of low maternal immunisation rates and unhygienic cord care practices. We aimed to determine changes in the incidence of NT, characterize and investigate the associated risk factors and mortality in a prospective cohort study including all admissions over a 15-year period at a County hospital on the Kenyan coast, a region with relatively high historical NT rates within Kenya.

Methods

We assessed all neonatal admissions to Kilifi County Hospital in Kenya (1999-2013) and identified cases of NT (standard clinical case definition) admitted during this time. Poisson regression was used to examine change in in

SUBMITTER: Ibinda F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4388671 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature