title: Bacteremia in children: epidemiology, clinical diagnosis and antibiotic treatment.
abstract: The diagnosis of bacteremia in children is important and it can be clinically challenging to recognize the signs and symptoms. The reported rates of bacteremia are higher in young children but with the increasing vaccine coverage, there has been a decrease in bacteremia due to the three vaccine preventable bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae group b and Neisseria meningitidis). Notably, there have been increases in healthcare-associated bacteremias with a rise in Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative bacteremias. This review provides a brief overview of the clinical diagnosis of bacteremia in children, focusing on the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, risk factors, antibiotic treatment, outcomes and preventative measures to reduce the incidence of bacteremia and improve morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Public Health England, Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Sumita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enoch
authors.forename: Sani H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Aliyu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: bacteremia; children; clinical diagnosis; paediatric infection; sepsis