Abstract:Objective To analyze the active screening results on bacteria from neonates from different sources in the neonatal ward of a tertiary general hospital in Shanghai, provide a basis for the prevention and control of neonatal infections. Methods The monitoring results of active screening on all neonates admitted to the neonatal ward of the hospital from 2017 to 2023 were collected retrospectively. Changes in bacterial detection among neonates admitted from the obstetrics department and the community were compared and analyzed. Results From 2017 to 2023, a total of 4 265 neonates were admitted to the hospital, including 3 339 from department of obstetrics (obstetrics source group) and 926 from community (community source group). Active screening showed that 490 and 572 neonates were detected with bacteria, respectively. Bacterial detection rate of neonates in obstetrics source group was lower than community source group (14.68% vs 61.77%, P<0.001); detection rates of bacteria from pharynx and umbilical site of neonates in community source group were both higher than obstetrics source group (both P<0.001); detection rate of bacteria from neonates’ umbilical site was higher than that from pharynx of both obstetrics source group and community source group (both P<0.001). A total of 1 348 bacterial strains were detected, detection rates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Acinetobacter baumannii in the obstetrics source group were all higher than community source group (all P<0.05), detection rates of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter cloacae in the obstetrics source group were both lower than community source group (both P<0.05). 66 neonates were detected multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO), 14 were from obstetrics source group and 52 from community source group, 63 neonates were detected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The detection rates of MDRO and MRSA from community source group were both higher than obstetrics source group (both P<0.001); detection rate of MDRO from neonates’ umbilical site was higher than that from the pharynx of the community source group (P<0.001). Conclusion Bacteria detected in the obstetrics source group is mainly Escherichia coli, while that detected from community source group is mainly Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is the main MDRO from neonates, and bacterial screening of neonates admitted from the community should be strengthened to prevent and control the spread of MDRO, especially community-acquired MRSA in neonatal wards.