Proteus bacteraemia in a general hospital 1972-1982.

During 1972-1982, 318 isolates of Proteus spp. were recovered from blood cultures, accounting for 14.4% of the aerobic, Gram-negative isolates from blood in a large general hospital. Bacteraemia was most common among male patients on the internal medicine service. A high level of resistance to antibiotic agents was found. Since 1976, 49 proteus isolates were sensitive to either gentamicin or tobramycin, but not to both.