Nosocomial bacteraemia in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia.

During a period of one year, 117 episodes of nosocomial bacteraemia were documented at King Khalid University Hospital, an incidence of 5 per 1000 admissions. Sixty-two percent were gram-negative organisms with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Serratia spp. and Pseudomonas spp. being the most frequent. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common gram-positive organism isolated. The source of infection was identified in 75% of patients. Intravenous lines accounted for a high proportion of cases (22%). Most deaths occurred in infants and patients with serious underlying disease.