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PubMed1990

[A case of bacteremia due to Salmonella enteritidis in healthy man].

Although bacteremia caused by non-typhoidal salmonella is frequently observed in immunocompromised hosts, it is rare to find this condition in healthy subjects. In this report, we present a case of bacteremia due to Salmonella enteritidis detected in a healthy man. A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a fifty-day history of fever on May 18, 1985. On admission, he showed no symptoms except high body temperature (38.8 degrees C). In the laboratory data, C-reactive protein was 3+, white- cell count was 9600, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 12 mm/h. Culture in blood and stool yielded Salmonella enteritidis. However, no abnormal findings were found in UGIS, barium enema, OC + DIC, abdominal CT and echography. As soon as Ampicillin was administered, the fever was gone and the blood culture yielded nothing. After six months, the stool culture was negative for pathological intestinal bacterial flora and he was in good physical condition. Generally, bacteremia develops mainly in the immunocompromised hosts, such as patients with neoplastic disease, AIDS, leukemia or collagen disease. The literature provides so far twenty three adult cases of bacteremia due to non-typhoidal salmonella in Japan. Only two of them had no systemic disease as well as our case. Although it is unknown why bacteremia developed in this healthy man, we reported that bacteremia developed rarely in subjects with healthy condition.

Humans↗
PubMed1984

C-reactive protein in patients with bacteremia.

Quantitative measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum has been proposed as a sensitive and, for some populations, a specific indicator of infection. To determine whether early measurement of CRP in serum could differentiate patients with bacteremia from a control group of patients whose blood cultures yielded contaminants, we measured CRP concentrations quantitatively by rate nephelometry in serum samples that had been obtained from patients on the same day as blood samples that yielded bacteria or fungi. Of the 36 episodes of bacteremia, 3 (8.5%) occurred in patients with normal concentrations of CRP in serum and 2 (5.5%) in patients with minimally elevated levels. Of the 21 episodes associated with contaminated blood cultures, only 2 (9.5%) occurred in patients with normal CRP levels. Of the patients with marked elevations of CRP (greater than 10 mg/dl), 18 (86%) had infection, although not all of these patients had bacteremia. We conclude that a normal concentration of CRP in serum does not eliminate the possibility of bacteremia. Moderate elevations (1 to 10 mg/dl) of CRP levels are common in both patients with contaminated blood cultures and in those with bacteremia. If the CRP concentration in serum is greater than 10 mg/dl and if other causes of marked elevations of CRP levels are eliminated, CRP concentration in serum may be a relatively specific indicator of infection. However, elevations of CRP concentrations are neither completely sensitive nor specific for detecting infection in patients with bacteremia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Frequency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia in patients with tuberculosis in an area endemic for AIDS.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia has recently been reported in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). At our institution, tuberculosis occurs commonly among patients with and without HIV infection. We sought to determine the frequency of M. tuberculosis bacteremia among patients with newly diagnosed tuberculosis. During a 4-month period, mycobacterial blood cultures were obtained on all identifiable patients with newly diagnosed tuberculosis. Fifteen percent (9/59) of consecutive patients with tuberculosis had positive blood cultures for M. tuberculosis. Twenty-six percent (7/27) of patients known to be infected with HIV had positive mycobacterial blood cultures; two intravenous drug users who refused HIV-serologic testing also had positive mycobacterial blood cultures. M. tuberculosis bacteremia occurred at a higher rate among HIV-infected patients with an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection in addition to tuberculosis (3/3) than among HIV-infected patients without such an opportunistic infection (4/24; p less than 0.02). M. tuberculosis bacteremia occurred in 83% (5/6) of patients with disseminated tuberculosis and in 8% (4/53) of patients without disseminated tuberculosis (p less than 0.001). In all cases, tuberculosis was diagnosed in patients with M. tuberculosis bacteremia or else they died prior to the blood cultures demonstrating mycobacterial growth (mean time to detection of mycobacterial growth: 43 days). However, the frequent occurrence of M. tuberculosis bacteremia in HIV-infected patients with disseminated tuberculosis suggests that mycobacterial blood cultures may help confirm the diagnosis of tuberculosis in this group of patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Prevention of bacteremia attributed to luminal colonization of tunneled central venous catheters with vancomycin-susceptible organisms.

Forty-five children with oncologic or hematologic disorders requiring tunneled central venous catheters (TCVC) for the administration of immunosuppressive therapy were randomized to receive either 10 U/mL heparin (H) (24 patients) or a solution of 10 U/mL H and 25 micrograms/mL vancomycin (H-V) (21 patients) for all catheter flushes. Episodes of fever or suspected sepsis were evaluated to determine whether the addition of vancomycin to the flush solution would alter the incidence of symptomatic bacteremia attributed to luminal colonization of TCVC with vancomycin-susceptible bacteria. Patients were enrolled for 247 +/- 150 days, accounting for a total of 11,095 days of catheter use. Bacteremia attributed to luminal colonization with vancomycin-susceptible organisms occurred in five patients (six infections) receiving H alone compared with zero patients receiving H-V (P = .035). The time to the first episode of bacteremia with vancomycin-susceptible organisms, analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves, was significantly longer in patients receiving H-V (P = .04). There were no differences in the incidence of other infections including bacteremia attributed to luminal colonization with vancomycin-resistant organisms, other bacteremias (including those arising from the catheter exit site), exit-site cellulitis, or fungal infections. No organisms resistant to vancomycin were identified. Vancomycin could not be detected in the peripheral blood of patients receiving vancomycin in the flush solution. No vancomycin-related toxicities were noted. We conclude that the use of an H-V flush solution in immunocompromised patients with TCVC can decrease the frequency of bacteremia attributed to luminal colonization with vancomycin-susceptible bacteria.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bacteremia in diabetic patients with infected lower extremities.

Eleven cases of bacteremia in diabetic patients with infected lower extremities at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital (RLAH) were observed over a 34-mo period. The yearly incidence was 0.6% of admissions to the Ortho-Diabetes service. Aerobic bacteria were recovered in six cases and anaerobic bacteria in five. Bacteroides fragilis was isolated four times, Staphylococcus aureus three times, and nonfragilis Bacteroides sp., Escherichia coli, group B streptococcus, and viridans streptococcus were each seen once. Ten of the 11 patients were febrile at the time of bacteremia. Clinical, laboratory, radiologic, and ultrasonographic parameters were comparable in patients with aerobic and anaerobic bacteremia, and between bacteremic patients and nonbacteremic controls. Fever, however, was significantly more frequent in bacteremic patients. Foul-smelling lesions were seen in two of the five patients with anaerobic bacteremia, and in none of the patients with aerobic bacteremia. Postoperative B. fragilis bacteremia was observed to be transient and resolved without definitive therapy in one patient. Appropriate antibiotic therapy in 10 patients together with surgical intervention in eight cases resulted in resolution of the infection in the remaining patients.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗
PubMed1975

Bacteremia in a general hospital. A prospective study of 102 consecutive cases.

A prospective clinical-bacteriological study of 102 consecutive cases of confirmed bacteremia at a Copenhagen City general hospital was carried out during 5 months of 1973 with special concern given to focus of infection and acquisition of microorganisms. Valid positive cultures were obtained from 7.2 patients per 1000 admissions. 50 of the 102 bacteremias were by all probability acquired in the hospital, mainly due to transurethral manipulations or intravenous lines. Pneumonia and hepatobiliary infections accounted for most of the non-hospital acquired bacteremias. 26/102 patients died in relation to the bacteremia. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus caused more than half of the infections. Bacteremia caused by proteus, klebsiella, enterobacter species of staphylococci was in most cases nosocomial and carried the highest mortality, i.e. 40%, verus 15% when other organisms were responsible. It is concluded that nosocomial bacteremia is a frequent and life-endangering complication which is often preceded by certain diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, not invariably linked to severe underlying diseases. Consequently, attempts to reduce bacteremic episodes should include surveillance of ecological factors and certain hospital procedures.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Concordance of endotoxemia with gram-negative bacteremia. A meta-analysis using receiver operating characteristic curves.

OBJECTIVE: To apply meta-analysis to compare the concordance between the results of 2 types of limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay, gelation (GLAL) and chromogenic (CLAL), with the detection of gram-negative bacteremia in patients with suspected bacteremia. DESIGN: Meta-analysis using receiver operating characteristic-based analytical method. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE literature search and manual reviews of article bibliographies together with direct approaches to authors of potentially eligible studies. STUDY SELECTION: The studies that were selected had all included at least 10 patients, of whom at least 2 patients were diagnosed with gram-negative bacteremia, and all had data available for extraction into a contingency table format. RESULTS: Fifty-six studies (28 GLAL and 28 CLAL studies) met the inclusion criteria. Studies were stratified by type of test (GLAL vs CLAL). Each analysis was repeated with smaller studies excluded. There was no difference between the 2 types of LAL assays. Among the CLAL studies, there was no difference between studies that did versus those that did not use the sepsis syndrome criteria as a basis for patient inclusion. Among 45 studies for which data on the proportion of non-Enterobacteriaceae were available, there was a trend toward higher concordance as this proportion increased. CONCLUSIONS: The concordance between the LAL test and the detection of gram-negative bacteremia in patients with suspected bacteremia is no higher with the CLAL assay than with the original GLAL version. However, the concordance is higher among studies with a higher proportion of non-Enterobacteriaceae among the gram-negative bacteremia isolates.

Endotoxemia↗
PubMed1990

Predicting bacteremia in hospitalized patients. A prospectively validated model.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a model for the prediction of bacteremia in hospitalized patients, and to identify subgroups of patients with a very low likelihood of bacteremia in whom a positive blood culture has a low positive predictive value. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with clinical data on 1516 episodes collected from a random sample of all patients who had blood cultures done at one institution. SETTING: Urban, tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Derivation set: 1007 blood culture episodes sampled from all blood cultures done on patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital between October 1988 and February 1989. Validation set: 509 episodes, May 1989 to June 1989. The unit of evaluation was the episode, defined as a 48-hour period beginning after a blood culture was drawn. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: True- and false-positive rates of blood cultures in the derivation set as assessed by independent reviewers were 7% (74 of 1007) and 8% (81 of 1007), respectively. Independent multivariate predictors of true bacteremia were temperature of 38.3 degrees C or higher, presence of a rapidly (less than 1 month) or ultimately (less than 5 years) fatal disease; shaking chills; intravenous drug abuse; acute abdomen on examination; and major comorbidity. In the low-risk group, defined by absence of these predictors, the misclassification rate of the model in the derivation set was 1% (4 of 303), and a positive blood culture had a positive predictive value of only 14% for true bacteremia. The model also identified a high-risk subset in which 16% (41 of 264) of episodes represented true bacteremia. The model was prospectively validated in 509 additional episodes, and the misclassification rate in the low-risk group was 2% (3 of 155). INTERVENTIONS: None. CONCLUSION: These findings provide a means of stratifying hospitalized patients according to their risk for bacteremia. If prospectively validated in other settings, this model may be helpful when deciding whether or not to do blood cultures or start antibiotic therapy and, when evaluating a positive blood culture, to determine whether or not it is a true-positive.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae strains in community-acquired bacteremia in Southern Israel.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae have emerged in many hospitals worldwide. The increasing dissemination and long-term carriage of these organisms within the community carry tremendous implications on the empirical therapy of community-acquired infection. MATERIAL/METHODS: To evaluate the prevalence and clinical features of community-acquired bacteremia involving ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in southern Israel (ESBL-P) we retrospectively studied all Enterobacteriaceae bacteremias during an 8-month period in the Negev region using medical and laboratory records. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the disk-diffusion method. ESBL production was determined using an E-test ESBL strip. Cases involving ESBL-P were compared to those involving non-producing strains (ESBL-NP) using the chi-square test. RESULTS: In all, 187 Enterobacteriaceae bacteremias were detected, of which 119 were community-acquired (63.6%). ESBL-P were found in six cases (5%) which are described herein in greater detail. Patients with ESBL-P bacteremia were older, and were more likely to stay in the intensive-care unit. Urinary catheterization and bed-ridden conditions were significant risk factors for ESBL-P. ESBL-P strains were significantly resistant to nearly all antibiotic agents except for imipienem and piperacillin-tazobactam as opposing to ESBL-NP. Patients with ESBL-P bacteremia were more likely to suffer from complications and had a higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This paper is the first to describe community-acquired Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia involving ESBL-P strains in Israel. Although the exact prevalence of these organisms in Israel is currently unknown, our findings suggest that ESBL-producers have already begun to disseminate in our community.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Rapid antigen assay for the diagnosis of pneumococcal bacteremia in children: a preliminary study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We determine the sensitivity of a new Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen assay in children with S pneumoniae bacteremia and also determine the specificity of the assay in afebrile children without apparent pneumococcal infection. METHODS: We enrolled 2 groups of children, 3 months to 5 years of age, presenting to an urban pediatric emergency department or hospital-based clinic between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2001. The study group included patients with S pneumoniae bacteremia. The control group included patients without fever or identified focal bacterial infection (other than a urinary tract infection). We excluded from the control group patients with a recent diagnosis (prior 4 weeks) of bacteremia, pneumonia, meningitis, acute otitis media, or other suspected S pneumoniae infection. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients were enrolled: 24 children with S pneumoniae bacteremia and 72 afebrile control patients. The assay produced a positive result in 23 of 24 patients with pneumococcal bacteremia, yielding a sensitivity of 95.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 78.9% to 99.9%). The test result was negative in 67 of 72 afebrile patients without apparent pneumococcal infection, yielding a specificity in this population of 93.0% (95% CI 83.4% to 97.5%). CONCLUSION: This S pneumoniae assay demonstrated high sensitivity for the defined bacteremic population, as well as high specificity among afebrile children without apparent pneumococcal infection. Further study in febrile children at risk of pneumococcal bacteremia is needed before the value of the test in children at risk for invasive pneumococcal disease can be determined.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1991

[Mycobacteria tuberculosis bacteremia].

Mycobacterial bacteremia is common in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is isolated most frequently. Although bacteremia due to mycobacterium tuberculosis was described as early as 1917, there are few recent reports regarding this phenomenon. However, mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is relative rare in those developed countries as compared to ours. It is estimated about 12,000 newly diagnosed tuberculous patients in Taiwan area every year. This study was designed to see the incidence of TB bacteremia and the possible relationship between TB bacteremia and disease pattern. From January 1989 to June 1990, we used lysis-centrifugation blood culture system to detect the incidence of mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia. 27 cases of newly diagnosed tuberculous patients were included, all proved by chest X ray, bacteriology and/or pathology. These 27 cases included 3 miliary T.B, 13 far-advanced pulmonary T.B., 7 moderate advanced pulmonary T.B., 1 minimal pulmonary T.B., 1 T.B. pericarditis and 3 T.B. pleuritis. Only one miliary T.B. yield bacteremia.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Pediatric bacteremia strains grow in blood culture media].

Bacteremia strains may influence the clinical therapy, the isolation of bacteremia strains is important for patients. In order to understand the distribution and the growth in the blood culture media of bacteremia strains, from January 1982 through December 1988 we studied the blood culture sent to us from the pediatric ward. These were three hundred and forty one bacterial strains (3.1%) isolated from patients. In the meantime we also studied the bacteremia strains growth in the blood culture media. In these positive cultures, there were 83 gram-positive, and 258 gram-negative strains. The 83 gram-positive included Staphylococcus aureus (38 strains), hemolytic streptococcus (22 strains), Enterococcus (13 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (8 strains) and others (2 strains). The 258 gram-negative strains included Escherichia coli (97 strains), Salmonella spp. (43 strains), Enterobacter spp. (31 strains). Klebsiella spp. (23 strains), Pseudomonas spp. (25 strains), Proteus spp. (17 strains), Citrobacter spp. (11 strains) and others (11 strains). The Growth of bacteremia strains in the blood culture medium, showed that first day isolation strains were 33.7%, second day strains 24.9%, third day were 19.9%, fourth day were 13.5%, fifth day were 3.2%, sixth day were 4.1% and seventh day were 0.6%. In conclusion, the bacteremia strains showed that the gram-negative, which were 75.7%, were more prevalent than the gram-positive which were 24.3%, the isolation of the strains was more in the first to fourth day and grew by 92%, on the fifth day it grew by 3.2% and on the seventh day by only 0.6%. On the fifth day the baby had recovered and we were able to discontinue antibiotic therapy.

Blood↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Retrograde endoscopic cholangiopancreatography. Incidence of bacteremia].

ERCP like all the endoscopic procedures, implies some risks of complications, between them, infections. Bacteremia may occur in any endoscopic and gastrointestinal procedure. The rate on ERCP is about 0 to 5.6%. In the present investigation we intended to determine the rate of bacteremia produced by ERCP, the organism that cause bacteremia and to correlate ductal pathology, stasis and bacteremia. From May to October 1988, at the Hospital Vargas of Caracas, 22 ERCP were performed in patients that were included for analysis. Haemocultives were taken for aerobics and anaerobics, gems before ERCP, immediately after the cannulation of biliary and/or pancreatic ducts and 5 minutes later after concluding the study. A high incidence of bacteremia was reported, 13.6%, all the previous haemocultives were negative. The positive haemocultives were during the cannulation procedure and no haemocultive after the study was positive. The organism isolate were Peptococcus sacharoliticcus and Staphylococcus epidermidis both of the normal flora of small intestine and the last one on the skin too. There were not relation between the ductal pathology, stasis and bacteremia. Some organisms were related to nosocomial agents, we considered though the disinfection and polishment of the accessories and equipment adequate. It is recommendable to use prophylactic antibiotic in immunosuppressed patients with valvular prosthesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Risk factors of nosocomial bacteremia associated with pulmonary artery catheters in a critical care unit.

An epidemiologic investigation at a community teaching hospital identified 17 cases of endemic primary nosocomial bacteremias associated with the use of pulmonary artery catheters (PACs). A matched-case control study was undertaken to identify risk factors associated with these bacteremias. Factors significantly associated with bacteremia were length of hospitalization; length of stay in the critical care unit; length of time the PAC introducer was left in place and used as an intravenous (IV) access device after PAC withdrawal; respiratory compromise; PAC site infection; prior infections at other sites; concomitant hyperalimentation; and number of IV piggyback administrations per day prior to onset of bacteremia. Pathogens isolated included coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (55.6%), Staphylococcus aureus (22.2%), Candida albicans (14.8%), and enterococci (7.4%). These pathogens were generally resistant to antibiotics given before the development of bacteremia. Bacteremia was associated with significant mortality, a prolonged hospital stay, and increased hospital charges. This study identifies important risk factors to consider in formulating guidelines to prevent and control PAC-associated nosocomial infections.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Pneumococcal bacteremia in Charleston County, South Carolina. A decade later.

Since nationwide surveillance for pneumococcal bacteremia in the United States is not done, community-based studies are useful alternative methods to monitor trends in this disease. Data on the incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia in Charleston County, South Carolina, from 1974 to 1976, have been used to support cost-effective pneumococcal vaccine programs for the elderly. We reevaluated the incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia in Charleston County in 1986 and 1987 to assess whether earlier estimates remained valid given changes in medical practice. During 1986 and 1987, overall annual incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia in Charleston County was 18.7 per 100,000 (95% confidence limits, 13.7 to 23.6 per 100,000), which represents a 2.3-fold increase over the earlier rate. The increase coincided with a 2.2-fold increase in the annual number of blood cultures processed at four Charleston County hospital laboratories from 1975 to 1987 despite only a 1.1-fold increase in the number of patients discharged from these hospitals. Annualized rates increased 2.3-fold for adults more than or equal to 65 years old to 53 per 100,000 and 4.6-fold for children less than 2 years old to 162 per 100,000. The case-fatality rate of bacteremic patients was 18%, compared with 21% in the earlier study. The case-fatality rate for adults more than or equal to 65 years of age was 44%. Ninety-one percent of adults 19 to 64 years old with bacteremia had underlying medical conditions for which pneumococcal vaccine is recommended; all persons 55 to 64 years old had at least one underlying condition. The marked increases in pneumococcal bacteremia rates detected are likely due to more routine culturing of blood from symptomatic patients with pneumococcal disease. These findings emphasize the need for effective programs promoting use of pneumococcal vaccine in high-risk groups, particularly those more than or equal to 65 years old, and the development of a more immunogenic vaccine for children less than 2 years old.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Pneumococcal bacteremia in Hawaii: initial findings of a pneumococcal disease prevention project.

The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) recently established a pneumococcal disease initiative to determine the scope of serious pneumococcal disease in residents of Hawaii and to investigate methods of increasing vaccine utilization in the State. The initial phase of the project involved a review of pneumococcal bacteremia at all 38 microbiology laboratories in Hawaii during 1986 and 1987. Two hundred twenty-two residents with bacteremia were identified. Eighty-six percent of adults had pneumonia as the primary source of bacteremia. In children greater than 5 years old, pneumonia was present in 24%, otitis media in 35%, and meningitis in 11%. Bacteremia with no apparent focus of infection was found in 30% of children. The overall annual incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia was 9/10(5) population. Rates were highest in children greater than 2 years old (103/10(5] and persons greater than or equal to 65 years old (22/10(5]. These are similar to rates reported from other populations in the United States during the 1970s and early 1980s, but are less than those detected in 2 more recent population-based studies. The overall case-fatality rate in our study was relatively low (16%); however, 35% of persons greater than or equal to 65 years old died. A record of previous pneumococcal vaccination was found in the medical records of only 2 (1%) patients. Our study confirms that pneumococcal bacteremia causes significant morbidity and mortality among elderly residents of Hawaii and suggests that vaccine coverage is very low among this high-risk population. Phase 2 of the initiative included surveys of Hawaii physicians and the public to ascertain attitudes toward pneumococcal immunization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Bacterial and host factors affecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization versus bacteremia in granulocytopenic patients.

In order to evaluate bacterial factors which might predispose to P. aeruginosa colonization or bacteremia in the granulocytopenic patient, 132 isolates recovered from 44 oncology patients were evaluated for antigenic serotype, iron correctable sensitivity to pooled human serum, antibiotic susceptibility, production of lecithinase, elastase, protease, gelatinase, pyocyanin and pyoverdin. Similarly, potential host factors, primarily total iron binding capacity, were evaluated in a subpopulation of acute leukemia patients composed of 13 control patients without P. aeruginosa cultured during their hospital course, 11 colonization only patients and 15 P. aeruginosa bacteremia patients. No significant differences were observed between strains recovered from bacteremia vs. colonization patients for extracellular enzyme activity, pigment production, serum sensitivity and antigenic serotype. Significant differences were observed between bacteremia and colonizing strains for antibiotic susceptibility to ticarcillin, 40% vs. 76% (P less than 0.002); piperacillin, 44% vs. 86% (P less than 0.006); and cefsulodin, 60% vs. 90% (P less than 0.02). Of the host factors evaluated in the acute leukemia patients, significant differences were observed between the TIBC nadir of control patients and both colonization patients (P less than 0.0002) and bacteremia patients (P less than 0.0004). P. aeruginosa bacteremia was associated with the temporal occurrence of TIBC nadir and the detection of the organism. These data suggest a possible role for beta-lactam antibiotic resistance and host iron binding capacity as determinants and possible predictors of P. aeruginosa sepsis in the granulocytopenic patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The increasing importance of polymicrobial bacteremia.

Polymicrobial bacteremia increased from 6% in 1970 to 13% in 1975 in patients with bloodstream infections. This type of serious infection most commonly complicated genitourinary (27%) and gastrointestinal (26%) conditions, frequently followed invasive procedures (68%), was more common in hospitalized patients (73%), and was often associated with malignancies (25%) or immunosuppressive or cancer chemotherapy (34%). Although polymicrobial endocarditis was more commonly encountered in recent years, this infection accounted for only 4.5% of patients with multiple organism bacteremias. Gram-negative aerobic bacteria were isolated from 62% and anaerobic bacteria in 39% of patients with polymicrobial bacteremia compared with 37% and 14%, respectively, in patients with monomicrobial bacteremia. In the 88 patients with polymicrobial bacteremia, the mortality was 44.5%, compared with 18.0% in patients with monomicrobial bacteremia.

Adolescent↗