Evaluation of the clinical usefulness of blood cultures in hospitalised patients with community acquired pneumonia

ABSTRACT

Pneumonia that develop outside the hospital is considered CAP. Bacteremia is a serious clinical condition and can lead to death. To give the best chance for effective treatment and survival, a BC is done as soon as an infection is suspected. The aim of this work is to evaluate blood culture in patients with community acquired pneumonia and to correlate it with clinical response to medical treatment. This study was conducted on 50 patients; 36 males and 14 females. Sputum and blood samples are collected, transported and processed immediately in the laboratory by a technician under the supervision of a bacteriologist where blood and sputum culture were done. This study revealed that Strept. pneumoniae and H. infleunzae represented 38% of positive cultures, while Staph aureus and E.coli represented 30%. In conclusion, there was a little clinical usefulness of both sputum and BCs in the management of CAP and the empirical therapy is important as it gave 96% success without any antibiotic modification after the results of blood and sputum cultures have been available