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. 2015 Mar 29;62(2):491–508. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2014.11.010

Table 2.

Duration of antibiotic therapy for early-onset sepsis

Conditions Duration & Comments
Newborns with early onset pulmonary infiltrates (within 3 d of life)
  • 4 d, may be sufficient based on limited data with no additional risk factors, including
    • •
      No chorioamnionitis
    • •
      No bacteremia
    • •
      Does not require O2 >8 h
    • •
      Asymptomatic at 48 h of treatment
Mild or presumed sepsis 5 or 7 d, no prospective controlled studies; remains controversial
Bacteremia without a focus 10 d
Uncomplicated GBS meningitis and other gram-positive bacteria 14–21 d
Gram-negative meningitis 21 d or 14 d after a negative cerebrospinal fluid culture, whichever is longer

Data from Polin RA, Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Management of neonates with suspected or proven early-onset bacterial sepsis. Pediatrics 2012;129(5):1006–15; and American Academy of Pediatrics. Antimicrobial therapy for newborns. In: Bradley JS, editor. 2014 Nelson's pediatric antimicrobial therapy. Elk Grove Village (IL): American Academy of Pediatrics; 2014. p. 17–36.