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Abstract
The results of blood cultures from 6 113 patients with clinical symptoms of septicemia in a 10-year period were reviewed. The cultures were positive in 335 cases (5.5%). The commonest etiologic organisms were pneumococci (33%), followed by coliforms except salmonella and shigella (24%). There was a definite increase in the incidence of coliforms from 1965. The highest mortality was associated with infections caused by coliforms, especially with those caused by proteus, pseudomonas and klebsiella. Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium welchii and Serratia marcescens caused each septicemia in one patient with a fatal outcome. Cultures of blood specimens taken during antibiotic therapy were positive in 44 patients. In 24 cases the isolated bacterium was resistant in vitro to the antibiotic administered. A good correlation between antibiotic sensitivity tests in vitro and the therapeutic result was observed in 246 patients.