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INTRODUCTION
Early-onset sepsis (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality among very preterm infants.1,2 Prior national evaluations described sepsis incidence and pathogens among US very preterm infants but did not characterize gestational age (GA) distribution in detail.3–5 GA-associated pathogen variation informs empirical therapy and prevention, particularly among infants born at the lowest GAs, who experience profound immunologic immaturity, prolonged hospitalization, and intensive invasive support that may alter microbial exposures and colonization patterns.6,7 The objective of this study was to define GA-associated distributions of EOS and LOS pathogens.
Vermont Oxford Network (VON) is a global quality improvement and research collaborative.8 This observational study included all infants born weighing 1500 g or less and/or at 29 weeks, 6 days gestation or younger in 795 centers across 49 states between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2024. Infants who died in the…