Trends in Blood Infections in a Small Greek City
Author Information
Author(s): Matthew E. Falagas, Alexandra Bakossi, Vasilis D. Pappas, Pierros V. Holevas, Antonis Bouras, Eleni Stamata
Primary Institution: Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), Athens, Greece
Hypothesis
What are the trends of antimicrobial resistance of blood isolates in patients from a rural population hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Greece?
Conclusion
The antimicrobial resistance of isolates from patients receiving care at the studied tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece is considerably less compared to that noted in tertiary hospitals in larger cities of the country.
Supporting Evidence
- 3,206 blood cultures were obtained from 67,070 hospitalized patients.
- 11.6% of blood cultures were positive for pathogens.
- Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were the most commonly isolated pathogens.
- The proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 17.2%.
- The study period showed a significant increase in the number of blood cultures performed.
Takeaway
This study looked at blood infections in a small city in Greece and found that the germs causing these infections are not as resistant to antibiotics as those in bigger cities.
Methodology
Data was retrospectively collected from the first positive blood culture for each patient admitted to the General Hospital of Tripolis over a 5-year period.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective nature of the study and reliance on laboratory data.
Limitations
The study only included the first positive blood culture for each patient, which may not represent all infections.
Participant Demographics
Patients hospitalized at the General Hospital of Tripolis, serving a population of about 250,000 people.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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