Community-acquired bacteraemia; a prospective survey of 239 cases.

Over a one-year period 239 patients with community-acquired bacteraemia were studied prospectively to evaluate their clinical profile, course and outcome. Gram-negative organisms accounted for 108 (45 per cent) episodes of bacteraemia, Gram-positive 121 (51 per cent) and polymicrobial 10 (4 per cent). The organisms isolated most commonly were E. coli (28.9 per cent), Klebsiella spp. (7.5 per cent), S. pneumoniae (21.3 per cent), S. aureus (12.1 per cent) and haemolytic streptococci (4.6 per cent). The overall mortality was 29.2 per cent and most deaths were caused by bacteraemia or related complications. This condition therefore still has a high mortality despite modern antimicrobial drugs and intensive care. The most important factor in reducing mortality is early recognition and administration of appropriate antimicrobial drugs.