Antibiotic Management of Severe Infections

Abstract

In 151 autopsies on patients who died of infection, it was found that: (1) staphylococci and gram-negative bacteria were present with equal frequency, and (2) together they caused 90 per cent of the deaths. The major errors in treatment were: (1) failure to recognize life-threatening infections soon enough, (2) reluctance to prescribe the more toxic, less used antibiotics often needed, and (3) failure to observe the basic rules governing administration of antibiotics.