[Pneumococcal septicemia: 145 cases (author's transl)].

Over a six year period, 145 pneumococcal septicemias were seen at the Tourcoing Hospital. This represents 0.39% of all hospitalized patients and 19.8% of all septicemias seen over the same period. A mortality rate of 38.6% was recorded. Prognostic factors were analyzed. The mortality rate was significantly higher in women (46.5%), in patients admitted for a reason unrelated to the septicemia (50.8%), and in patients with septic shock (81.5%) which was frequent (22.8%). An underlying poor general condition was present in 88.2% of the patients. This confirms the high risk of pneumococcal infections in some patients who should be protected by vaccination.