Septicemia and nosocomial infections in a community hospital.

Data on the incidence of community-acquired and nosocomial septicemia, on the incidence and distribution of nosocomial infections, and on the additional hospital costs due to nosocomial infections are shown to be different in a community teaching hospital from data in university, federal, or country hospitals. Incidence of septicemia and nosocomial infection varies in direct relation to the underlying disease categories "nonfatal," "ultimately fatal," and "rapidly fatal." Patient population mixes of these underlying disease categories are different between community and noncommunity hospitals. These differences can account for the reported difference in incidence of septicemia and nosocomial infections between such hospitals. National extrapolation of incidence data must take these differences into account.