title: [Microbiological service for intensive care units in Hungary].
abstract: For the effective treatment of patients with infectious diseases in intensive care units, reliable microbiological diagnoses and correct evaluations of results by expert infectious disease specialists/microbiologists are indispensable. A 97-question survey was conducted about the antibiotic policy, the available background of the microbiological diagnoses and the consultation possibilities in infectious diseases/microbiology at intensive care units in Hungary. Sixty-two percent (60/96) of questionnaires were returned. Of these units, 55% had a microbiological laboratory in-house. Microbiological reports usually serve as basis for the choice of antibiotic treatment. It is an undesirable practice that during working days and during week-ends the proportions of positive microbiological reports sent back to the wards within the optimal time are only 50% and <20%, respectively. Helpful opinion of an expert infectious disease specialist or microbiologist was available in >90% of the cases during working hours, while out of working hours the help of an infectious disease specialist and a microbiologist specialist was available in 70% and 55% of the cases, respectively. Almost half of the units requested the help of an infectious disease specialist whereas only one-third of them turned to a microbiologist. Accordingly, the background for microbiological laboratory diagnoses available for intensive care units is far from optimal in Hungary and is not adequately stipulated in their working conditions.
authors.affiliation: Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Szent-Györgyi Albert Klinikai Központ, Klinikai Mikrobiológiai Diagnosztikai Intézet, Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6. 6725. hajdu@mlab.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hajdú
authors.forename: Ria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benko
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matuz
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peto
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hegedus
authors.forename: Gyöngyvér
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soós
authors.forename: Lajos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bogár
authors.forename: Erzsébet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D017053:Infection Control; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008829:Microbiology / Q000458:organization & administration; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce