Etiology and Risk Factors of Bacteremia in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Over the study period from the first of January to the end of December 2006 a total of 102 patients were admitted to intensive care unit(ICU) in Babylon hospital for maternity and children .These patients were complaining from pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal tract infection and sepsis. Seventy two (70.5%) patients had positive blood culture and they are diagnosed as bacteremia cases. The study showed that gram negative bacteria caused over than 52.8% of bacteremia cases, whereas gram positive cause 47.1% of total bacteremia cases. The most gram positive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus cause 16.7%, followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae in 12.5%, While the most gram negative bacteria , Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli representing the major isolates, 13.9% for each one, and followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 11.1%. Other bacterial isolates were identified and less percentage in an incidence of bacteremia. Bacteremia was identified in 67.5% with bottle milk and in mixed feeding more than in breast milk feeding (32.4%).The incidence of bacteremia occurred in the second year of age groups in 34.7%.This study showed that the isolates in males were higher than those in females .The study revealed significant differences in the incidence of bacteremia among infants with low birth body weight as compared to infants with normal birth weight. The most infections among patients who have mothers with primary education.