Septicaemia in the Tropics: A Prospective Epidemiological Study of 146 Patients with a High Case Fatality Rate

Abstract

A prospective study showed that during the first 6 months of 1976, 146 patients out of a total of 3 938 admitted to a hospital in Nigeria were suffering from septicaemia, or developed the condition while in hospital. Findings differed from those reported from developed countries in that the majority of infections were community acquired, those most frequently and severely affected were the very young, and salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were the most important pathogens. However, other gram-negative organisms, particularly klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa also occurred frequently among the very young, in whom they produced a high mortality. The type of epidemiological pattern, and the bacteria responsible for the bloodstream infections reflect a differing age structure of the population in tropical countries from that in temperate developed countries, as well as the fact that bacterial infections are still one of the most important causes of illness and hospital admission among tropical communities.