Bacteremia in a small non-urban community hospital
Wilson, C.B.; Jones, T.; Shane, L.
Journal of Family Practice 12(1): 37-41
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0094-3509 PMID: 7005392 Document Number: 173551
Forty-six episodes of bacteremia were observed during a 3 yr period at a small, non-urban community hospital. The incidence of bacteremia was 4.3 episodes/1000 admissions; this rate is similar to the incidence of bacteremia in large, urban community hospitals, but lower than the incidence of bacteremia in municipal or academic hospitals. Eleven percent of bacteremias were hospital acquired, an incidence of 0.5 hospital acquired bacteremias/1000 admissions. The low incidence of hospital acquired bacteremia was a reflection of the low incidence of nosocomial, aerobic, gram-negative bacteremia (0.1/1000 admissions). Thirteen percent of bacteremic patients died. The mortality in patients with community acquired bacteremia (10%) was lower than that reported from larger, urban hospitals; the mortality in patients with hospitals; the mortality in patients with hospital acquired bacteremia (40%) was similar to that reported from larger, urban hospitals. The lower rates of bacteremia and associated mortality that were observed appear to be due to the lesser severity of underlying diseases in these patients.