Abstract
The results from the bacteriological monitoring of 464 ITU patients are presented. The specimens analysed include urine, sputa, tracheostomy swabs, central venous pressure line catheter tips, blood cultures, wound drainage fluid, cerebro-spinal fluid, pleural fluid and peritoneal dialysate samples.
Guidelines which may be used to differentiate between colonisation and infection and factors, notably those related to antibiotic usage, which are associated with increased risk of infection are described.
Certain bacterial and fungal infections which are more peculiar to the compromised host are also discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Casewell, M.W., Webster, M., Dalton, M.T., Phillips, I.: Gentamicin resistantKlebsiella aerogenes in a urological ward. Lancet ii, 444 (1977)
Casewell, M.W., Phillips I.: Hands as a route of transmission for Klebsiella species. Br. Med. J.,2, 1315 (1977)
Coonrod, J.D.: Physical and immunologic properties of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide produced during human infection. J. Immunol.112, (6), 2193 (1974)
Cowan, S.T., Steel, K.J.: Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria, 2nd edition. Cambridge: The University Press 1974.
Finegold, S.M., Rosenblatt, J.E., Sutter, V.L., Attebery, H.R.: Scope Monograph on Anaerobic Infections, 3rd edition. Michigan: The Upjohn Company 1976
Freeman, R.: Infection and intensive care. In: Selected Topics in Clinical Bacteriology. London: Bailliere Tindall 1976
Gaya, H.: Infection control in intensive care. Br. J. Anaesth.48, 9 (1977)
Ingham, H.R., Eaton, S., Venables, E.W., Adams, P.C.:Bacteroides fragilis resistant to metronidazole after long term therapy. Lancet i, 214 (1978)
Jackson, G.G.: Antibiotic policies, practices and pressures J. Antimicr. Chemother.5, 1 (1979)
Kaplan, M.H., Coons, A.H., Deane, H.W.: Localisation of antigen in tissue cells; cellular distribution of pneumococcal polysaccharides type II and III in mouse. J. Exp. Med.91, 15 (1950)
Mc.Neely, D.J., Kitchens, C.S., Kluge, R.M.: FatalNeisseria (Branhamella)catarrhalis pneumonia in an immunodeficient host. Am. Rev. Resp. Dis.114, 399 (1976)
Newsom, S.W.B.: Antibiotic prophylaxis for open heart surgery. J. Antimicr. Chemother.4, 389 (1978)
Ninane, G., Joly., Kraytman, M.,: Bronchopulmonary infection due toBranhamella catarrhalis: 11 cases assessed by transtracheal puncture. Br. Med. J.,1, 276 (1978)
Phillips, I., King, B.A., Shannon, K.P.: The mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycosides in the genus Pseudomonas. J. Antimicr. Chemother.4, 121 (1977)
Price, D.J.E., Sleigh, J.D.: Control of infection due toKlebsiella aerogenes in a neurosurgical unit by withdrawal of all antibiotics. Lancetii, 1213 (1970)
Riser, E., Noone, P., Thompson, R.E.M.: The use of a fluorescence typing method in an epidemiological study of Klebsiella infection in a London hospital J. Hygiene80, 43 (1978)
Robertson, E.A., MacLowry, J.D.: Mathematical analysis of the API Enteric 20 Profile Register using a computer diagnostic model. Appl. Microbiol.28, 691 (1974)
Stokes, E.J.: in Clinical Bacteriology (p. 179), 3rd edition. London: Arnold 1974
Williams, D.M., Krick, J.A., Remington, J.S.: Pulmonary infection in the compromised host. Part I. Am Rev. Resp. Dis.114, 359 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shield, M.J., Hammill, H.J. & Neale, D.A. Systematic bacteriological monitoring of intensive care unit patients: The results of a twelve month study. Intensive Care Med 5, 171–181 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01683933
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01683933