PEDIATRIC NOSOCOMIAL BACTEREMIA - CULTURI NG INFUSION LIQUIDS MAY HELP IN ITS CONTROL

Hospital-acquired bacteremia is a common cause of morbidity and mortal ity, mainly in pediatric units. In a 25 month retrospective study, we analyzed the blood cultures from the Hospital General Regional of the city of Leon, Guanajuato State, Mexico, in order to establish the caus al agents of nosocomial bacteremia and infer some associations with co ntaminated intravenous infusion fluids. In addition we performed a two month study to culture the flasks and intravenous tubing used in our infusions. Five hundred and fifty one blood cultures drawn from August 1990 to September 1992 were analyzed. A total of 135 (24.5%) were pos itive, most of them (51.8%) with strains of the Klebsielleae tribe (SK T) (Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia). The global incidence of bacte remia in the two year period was 4.3%. In the infusion study, 230 intr avenous fluids were cultured, with 68 isolates (30%) most from the SKT tribe. A final consideration is made on the role that inadecuate mana gement of intravenous liquids could play in the development of endemic and epidemic nosocomial bacteremia in our hospital, and the eventual utility of making cultures of the IV liquids.