title: Predominant pathogens found in the European Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care Study.
abstract: A one-day point prevalence of infection analysis was undertaken in 1417 intensive care units (ICUs) (10,038 patients) in 17 western European countries. The prevalence of ICU-acquired infection was 20.6% (2064 patients), representing almost half the cases of infection. Pneumonia was the most commonly reported infection (46.9%), followed by infection of the lower respiratory tract (17.8%), urinary tract (17.6%), and blood (13.0%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism (30.1%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28.7%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (19.1%), yeasts (17.1%), and enterococci (11.7%). As a group, the Enterobacteriaceae were the most commonly isolated organisms (34.4%). The study also revealed that resistance to antimicrobial agents is common among Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and coagulase-negative staphylococci.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Laboratory, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Spencer
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*