Many other organisms have been implicated in both hospital and community-acquired bacteraemia45-53. Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI) HCAI are infections that occur as a result of healthcare interventions including care or treatment provided in the home, at the doctor’s surgery or clinic, in nursing homes or following care given in a hospital. It is often difficult in patients who receive regular care to determine with accuracy whether infection is community or healthcare associated; operation between Public Health and Infection Control teams is therefore essential for investigative and epidemiological purposes. Anaerobic bacteraemia Recent studies have shown that anaerobic organisms account for 1 - 17% of positive blood cultures; anaerobic organisms are therefore still an important cause of bacteraemia and should be tested for routinely38,54-56. Organisms most commonly associated with anaerobic bacteraemia include38: Gram negative bacilli, including Bacteroides and Fusobacterium species Peptostreptococcus Clostridium species Bloodstream infection in children The aetiology of paediatric bacteraemia has changed in recent years. Infections with Haemophilus influenzae type b have declined dramatically following the Hib immunisation programme, and systemic nosocomial infections have increased. Organisms most commonly isolated from children with community acquired bacteraemia include: S. pneumoniae N. meningitidis S. aureus E. coli Organisms implicated in nosocomial infections in children are similar to seen in adults; polymicrobial and anaerobic bacteraemia, however, occurs less frequently57. Occult bacteraemia can in children with few or none of the symptoms normally associated with bloodstream infection58. Pyrexia may be the only indicator, but is S. pneumoniae predominates, but occult infection with H. influenzae, Salmonella species and has also been described. N. meningitidis Catheter-related bacteraemia Confirmation that the catheter is the source of infection in intravenous catheter (IVC) related bacteraemia or fungaemia is often difficult. There is often no evidence of infection at the catheter insertion site, and the organisms involved are frequently part of the normal skin flora and are common contaminants of blood cultures. Diagnosis of catheter related bacteraemia is usually on59:
Many other organisms have been implicated in both hospital and community-acquired bacteraemia45-53. Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI) HCAI are infections that occur as a result of healthcare interventions including care or treatment provided in the home, at the doctor’s surgery or clinic, in nursing homes or following care given in a hospital. It is often difficult in patients who receive regular care to determine with accuracy whether infection is community or healthcare associated; between Public Health and Infection Control teams is therefore essential for investigative and epidemiological purposes. Anaerobic bacteraemia Recent studies have shown that anaerobic organisms account for 1 - 17% of positive blood cultures; anaerobic organisms are therefore still an important cause of bacteraemia and should be tested for routinely38,54-56. Organisms most commonly associated with anaerobic bacteraemia include38: Gram negative bacilli, including Bacteroides and Fusobacterium species Peptostreptococcus Clostridium species Bloodstream infection in children The aetiology of paediatric bacteraemia has changed in recent years. Infections with Haemophilus influenzae type b have declined dramatically following the Hib immunisation programme, and systemic nosocomial infections have increased. Organisms most commonly isolated from children with community acquired bacteraemia include: S. pneumoniae N. meningitidis S. aureus E. coli Organisms implicated in nosocomial infections in children are similar to seen in adults; polymicrobial and anaerobic bacteraemia, however, occurs less frequently57. Occult bacteraemia can in children with few or none of the symptoms normally associated with bloodstream infection58. Pyrexia may be the only indicator, but is S. pneumoniae predominates, but occult infection with H. influenzae, Salmonella species and N. meningitidis has also been described. Catheter-related bacteraemia Confirmation that the catheter is the source of infection in intravenous catheter (IVC) related bacteraemia or fungaemia is often difficult. There is often no evidence of infection at the catheter insertion site, and the organisms involved are frequently part of the normal skin flora and are common contaminants of blood cultures. Diagnosis of catheter related bacteraemia is usually on59: operation