title: Usefulness of bacteriological surveillance cultures for monitoring infection in hospitalized patients: a critical reappraisal.
abstract: Untargeted bacteriological surveillance of superficial and deep body sites is frequently performed routinely in various clinical settings. This practice is based on the assumption that early identification of surface microbial flora might be predictive of organisms that will later cause invasive disease and that it may consequently assist in guiding empirical antibiotic therapy. A comprehensive review of the literature however indicates that the clinical value and cost-effectiveness of such practices still remain debated and appear largely unproven in most conditions and situations where they are routinely advocated. The present article reviews and critically discusses the available body of evidence supporting or disproving the use of bacteriological surveillance cultures. It is also aimed to issue general recommendations, strategies and methodologies that could be applied in different hospital care settings including the neonatal or adult intensive care as well as the hematology-oncology units.
authors: Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Cliniques Universitaires U.C.L de Mont-Godinne B-5530 Yvoir.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Glupczynski
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*