Pediatr Crit Care Me
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Jul 2005
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyGram-negative bacilli associated with catheter-associated and non-catheter-associated bloodstream infections and hand carriage by healthcare workers in neonatal intensive care units.
Bloodstream infections caused by Gram-negative bacilli are a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality in infants in neonatal intensive care units. This study describes the species of Gram-negative bacilli causing bloodstream infections in two neonatal intensive care units, compares characteristics of catheter-related and non-catheter-related bloodstream infections, and compares species and antibiotic resistance patterns of these organisms with those isolated from the hands of nurses working in the same neonatal intensive care units. ⋯ Gram-negative bacilli species isolated from neonatal bloodstream infections and nurses' hands varied significantly. Clean hands of providers are an unlikely source of endemic Gram-negative bacilli, suggesting that prevention strategies should focus more on control of endogenous neonatal flora or environmental sources.