EPIDEMIOLOGIC ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED AND HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED BACTEREMIA IN NORTHERN NORWAY

389 patients with 401 bacteremic episodes, either community-acquired ( CAB) or hospital-acquired (HAB), admitted to the University Hospital o f Tromso (UHT), Norway, and 3 small local hospitals in the region (LHs ), were reviewed on the basis of data collected in 1985 and 1989. As r egards incidence, sex- and age distribution. distribution to either su rgical, medical, or pediatric wards, compared with etiological agents and predisposing factors, the statistical significance has been evalua ted. The proportion of patients < 50 years was greater at UHT than in the LHs. More patients with HAB associated with predisposing factors w ere hospitalized at UHT than at the LHs. Coagulase-negative staphyloco cci occurred less frequently in bacteremic patients at UHT than at the LHs. As opposed to reports from elsewhere, Tromso University Hospital seems to appear much more similar to the smaller local hospitals in t he epidemiological aspects of bacteremia, inasmuch as both HAB and the CAB presented an even distribution pattern between the 2 hospital gro ups.