Frequency of microbiologically correct antibiotic therapy increased by infectious disease consultations and microbiological results.

In a prospective observational study of bacteremic patients we ascertained the influence of different parts of culture results on the correctness of empirical antibiotic therapy. Ninety-three bacteremic patients requiring antibiotic treatment were included. Patients who had consultations with an infectious disease consultation service before they became bacteremic received microbiologically correct empirical antibiotic therapy more often than those who did not have such consultations (75% versus 53%; P = 0.03). As a direct result of Gram staining, 92% of all patients received microbiologically correct antibiotic therapy.