Karlowsky, James A.Jones, Mark E.Draghi, Deborah C.Thornsberry, ClydeSahm, Daniel F.Volturo, Gregory A.2022-08-232022-08-232004-05-102012-03-22Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2004 May 10;3:7. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1476-0711-3-7" target="_blank">Link to article on publisher's site</a>1476-0711 (Linking)10.1186/1476-0711-3-71513458115134581https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/39466BACKGROUND: Bloodstream infections are associated with significant patient morbidity and mortality. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns should guide the choice of empiric antimicrobial regimens for patients with bacteremia. METHODS: From January to December of 2002, 82,569 bacterial blood culture isolates were reported to The Surveillance Network (TSN) Database-USA by 268 laboratories. Susceptibility to relevant antibiotic compounds was analyzed using National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards guidelines. RESULTS: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (42.0%), Staphylococcus aureus (16.5%), Enterococcus faecalis (8.3%), Escherichia coli (7.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3.6%), and Enterococcus faecium (3.5%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria from blood cultures, collectively accounting for >80% of isolates. In vitro susceptibility to expanded-spectrum beta-lactams such as ceftriaxone were high for oxacillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci (98.7%), oxacillin-susceptible S. aureus (99.8%), E. coli (97.3%), K. pneumoniae (93.3%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae (97.2%). Susceptibilities to fluoroquinolones were variable for K. pneumoniae (90.3-91.4%), E. coli (86.0-86.7%), oxacillin-susceptible S. aureus (84.0-89.4%), oxacillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci (72.7-82.7%), E. faecalis (52.1%), and E. faecium (11.3%). Combinations of antimicrobials are often prescribed as empiric therapy for bacteremia. Susceptibilities of all blood culture isolates to one or both agents in combinations of ceftriaxone, ceftazdime, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam or ciprofloxacin plus gentamicin were consistent (range, 74.8-76.3%) but lower than similar beta-lactam or ciprofloxacin combinations with vancomycin (range, 93.5-96.6%). CONCLUSION: Ongoing surveillance for antimicrobial susceptibility remains essential, and will enhance efforts to identify resistance and attempt to limit its spread.en-US© 2004 Karlowsky et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL.Bacterial InfectionsBacteremiaAnti-Infective AgentsBacterial Infections and MycosesEmergency MedicineLife SciencesMedical MicrobiologyMedicine and Health SciencesJournal Articlehttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3261&amp;context=oapubs&amp;unstamped=1https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/oapubs/22622691099oapubs/2262