Introduction: NICE guideline CG149 has increased the number of well infants receiving antibiotics for suspected early onset sepsis (EOS). The Kaiser Permanente sepsis risk calculator (SRC) has safely and dramatically reduced investigations and antibiotics for suspected EOS in the USA. This study evaluates current management of suspected EOS against NICE guideline CG149 and the SRC.

Methods: Prospective, multicentre, observational study across 13 neonatal units in London. Infants were born between June and August 2019 >34 weeks gestation and commenced on antibiotics for suspected EOS and cared for on postnatal/transitional care wards. Data were prospectively recorded: risk factors, clinical indicators, investigations and results. Outcome measures: 1) Incidence of EOS. 2) Proportion of infants recommended for antibiotics by NICE versus theoretical application of SRC.

Results: 1066/8856 (12%) infants on postnatal/transitional care wards received antibiotics, 7 of whom had a positive blood culture (group B Streptococcus = 6, Escherichia coli = 1), making the EOS incidence 0.8/1000 infants. 601 infants had data for SRC analysis, which recommended “antibiotics” or “blood culture” for 130/601 (21.6%) infants using an EOS incidence of 0.5/1000 vs 527/601 (87.7%) if NICE was applied.

Conclusions: Currently 12.0% of infants on postnatal/transitional care wards receive antibiotics for suspected EOS. The SRC could dramatically reduce antibiotic use but further prospective studies are required to evaluate safety of SRC implementation.