Pneumococcal bacteraemia, clinical presentation and factors influencing prognosis

ABSTRACT

Fifty-one patients [31 males and 20 females] with pneumococcal bacteraemia were seen at King Khalid University Hospital over 5 1/2-year period. Their ages ranged from 1 day to 80 years. Of these 51% had pneumonia, 17% had peritonitis and 6% had meningitis. No focus of infection was found in 15.7% of patients. Underlying diseases were present in 74% of patients. The overall mortality rate was 27.5% and most of the deaths occurred within 48 h of infection. The mortality was significantly high among older patients, and those with underlying diseases or shock. Patients with extrapulmonary focus of infection, afebrile bacteraemia, or inappropriate therapy had a higher mortality than others, but the difference was not significant. Recognition of these problems and the factors associated with high mortality may help in improving the prognosis