BACKGROUND: Primary health care-associated bloodstream infections (PHA-BSIs) affect as many as 350 000 patients in the United States annually. Whereas gram-negative organisms were the leading cause before the 1970s, gram-positive organisms have been the predominant microbial isolates since then. METHODS: We identified all PHA-BSIs among adult inpatients in a 625-bed quaternary care hospital from January 1, 1996, through December 31, 2003, and evaluated trends in the microbial etiology, geographic distribution within the institution, and antimicrobial susceptibilities. RESULTS: A total of 3662 PHA-BSIs caused by 4349 bacterial and fungal isolates were identified. From 1999 to 2003, the proportion of PHA-BSIs due to gram-negative organisms increased from 15.9% to 24.1% (P<.001 for trend). This trend was not significantly different across various units of the hospital, and no specific gram-negative species contributed disproportionately to the increase. With few exceptions, there were no significant increases in antimicrobial resistance. The increase in gram-negative organisms was accompanied by a decline in the proportion of PHA-BSIs from coagulase-negative staphylococci (from 33.5% in 1999 to 29.9% in 2003, P = .007) and from Staphylococcus aureus (from 18.8% in 1999 to 11.8% in 2003, P = .004). The proportion of PHA-BSIs from Candida species almost doubled from 5.8% in 1999 to 11.3% in 2003 (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first US study to report a reemergence of gram-negative organisms as a cause of PHA-BSIs. This finding does not seem to be related to changes in specific gram-negative organisms or to antimicrobial resistance. If this trend continues, it will have important implications for the management of bloodstream infections.
BACKGROUND: Primary health care-associated bloodstream infections (PHA-BSIs) affect as many as 350 000 patients in the United States annually. Whereas gram-negative organisms were the leading cause before the 1970s, gram-positive organisms have been the predominant microbial isolates since then. METHODS: We identified all PHA-BSIs among adult inpatients in a 625-bed quaternary care hospital from January 1, 1996, through December 31, 2003, and evaluated trends in the microbial etiology, geographic distribution within the institution, and antimicrobial susceptibilities. RESULTS: A total of 3662 PHA-BSIs caused by 4349 bacterial and fungal isolates were identified. From 1999 to 2003, the proportion of PHA-BSIs due to gram-negative organisms increased from 15.9% to 24.1% (P<.001 for trend). This trend was not significantly different across various units of the hospital, and no specific gram-negative species contributed disproportionately to the increase. With few exceptions, there were no significant increases in antimicrobial resistance. The increase in gram-negative organisms was accompanied by a decline in the proportion of PHA-BSIs from coagulase-negative staphylococci (from 33.5% in 1999 to 29.9% in 2003, P = .007) and from Staphylococcus aureus (from 18.8% in 1999 to 11.8% in 2003, P = .004). The proportion of PHA-BSIs from Candida species almost doubled from 5.8% in 1999 to 11.3% in 2003 (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first US study to report a reemergence of gram-negative organisms as a cause of PHA-BSIs. This finding does not seem to be related to changes in specific gram-negative organisms or to antimicrobial resistance. If this trend continues, it will have important implications for the management of bloodstream infections.
Authors: Christopher A Guidry; Laura H Rosenberger; Robin T Petroze; Stephen W Davies; Tjasa Hranjec; Matthew D McLeod; Amani D Politano; Lin M Riccio; Robert G Sawyer Journal: Surg Infect (Larchmt) Date: 2015-06-12 Impact factor: 2.150
Authors: D Marchaim; R Zaidenstein; T Lazarovitch; Y Karpuch; T Ziv; M Weinberger Journal: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis Date: 2008-06-05 Impact factor: 3.267
Authors: Yvonne R Chan; Jessica S Liu; Derek A Pociask; Mingquan Zheng; Timothy A Mietzner; Thorsten Berger; Tak W Mak; Matthew C Clifton; Roland K Strong; Prabir Ray; Jay K Kolls Journal: J Immunol Date: 2009-04-15 Impact factor: 5.422