Pneumonia in ventilated babies in an emerging country: Clinical features, aetiology and short-term outcome

Forty-four babies (<6 months) with pneumonia admitted for ventilation to a paediatric ICU serving a low-income community, were studied. Twenty-three p er cent had been ventilated during the neonatal period and three had bronch opulmonary dysplasia. The median duration of symptoms was 1.5 days; 45 per cent presented with apnoea. Five babies (11 per cent) died. Blood cultures were positive in six children (14 per cent). Viruses were cultured in 13 ch ildren (30 per cent).