Abstract
A prospective study of buffy coat microscopy of 108 infants with respiratory distress during the first 48 h of life was undertaken. Thirty-two infants (29.6%) had positive blood cultures. The buffy coat was stained with methylene blue and with Gram's stain. Using methylene blue staining 94% shared organisms in the buffy coat. Whereas using Gram's stain only 50% were positive — all of which were also positive with methylene blue.
Twenty-four infants with negative blood cultures had radiological signs of pneumonia. Of these 83% showed organisms in the buffy coat with both methylene blue and Gram staining. We conclude that buffy coat microscopy provides a simple and reliable guide in the early diagnosis of neonatal septicaemia or lung infection in infants with respiratory distress.
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