title: Clinical analysis of Enterobacter bacteremia in pediatric patients: a 10-year study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Enterobacter species has emerged as an important pathogen of nosocomial bacteremia. The purpose of this study is to review the clinical characteristics of bacteremia in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of patients (under the age of 18 years) having Enterobacter bacteremia who were treated at Taipei the Veterans General Hospital from January 2001 to June 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 853 positive blood cultures were obtained from 620 patients during the study period. Among them, 96 episodes of Enterobacter bacteremia were found in 83 patients, accounting for 11.3% of all bacteremia. Eighty-two cases (98.8%) were nosocomial infections. Most of the cases were neonates (62 cases, 74.7%) and premature infants (51 cases, 61.5%). The common sources of bacteremia were the respiratory tract (53.0%), followed by intravascular catheter (10.8%), multiple sources (10.8%), and the gastrointestinal tract (8.4%). The overall case fatality rate was 18.1%, with the highest rate being reported among premature infants. The factors responsible for the deaths were leukocytosis and a higher median number of underlying diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that Enterobacter species are probably an important pathogen of nosocomial bacteremia in premature neonates. The number of underlying diseases should be considered a major factor influencing the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Lan
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Her
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Keh-Gong
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: rbtang@vghtpe.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Ren-Bin
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Bacteremia; Enterobacter; Neonates