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Table 1 Total number of blood cultures taken and analysed over the four years 2003–2006 inclusive and the proportion of cultures growing a contaminant or significant isolate

From: Blood culture collection technique and pneumococcal surveillance in Malawi during the four year period 2003–2006: an observational study

Year

2003

2004

2005

2006

P1

OR2

Total blood cultures

7141

5709

6129

5650

  

Contaminants n(%)

1402(19.6)

1071(18.8)

442(7.2)

280(5.0)

< 0.01

0.27

All significant isolates

1267(17.7)

931(16.3)

1203(19.6)

1020(18.1)

< 0.01

1.13

S. pneumoniae

207(2.9)

152(2.7)

410(6.7)

310(5.5)

< 0.01

2.26

non-typhoidal Salmonella

758(10.6)

483(8.5)

480(7.8)

374(6.6)

< 0.01

0.73

C. neoformans

64(0.9)

53(0.9)

73(1.2)

118(2.1)

< 0.01

1.79

E. coli

93(1.3)

76(1.3)

114(1.9)

115(2.0)

< 0.01

1.48

Klebsiella spp

25(0.4)

24(0.4)

13(0.2)

12(0.2)

0.02

0.55

S. aureus

38(0.5)

43(0.8)

26(0.4)

16(0.3)

< 0.01

0.56

Group A streptococcus

10(0.1)

12(0.2)

15(0.2)

15(0.3)

0.15

 

S. typhi

3(0.0)

3(0.1)

8(0.1)

11(0.2)

< 0.01

3.46

Other Gram positive 3

19(0.3)

34(0.6)

27(0.4)

16(0.3)

0.55

 

Other Gram negative 4

50(0.7)

51(0.9)

37(0.6)

33(0.6)

0.07

 

Median volume ml (IQR)

4.6(0.3–10.1)

 

9.7(1.9–13.3)2

 

< 0.001

 
  1. 1 The p value has been derived by a two-way comparison comparing 2003/4 (pre-dedicated culture service) vs 2005/6 (post dedicated service) using a chi2 test. 2 The odds ratio of recovery during the 2005/6 blood culture intervention year compared to the pre-blood culture service period. 3 Other Gram positive isolates were primarily non-pneumococcal alpha haemolytic Streptococci (72 of 96, 75%) 4 Other Gram negative isolates included Haemophilus spp. (16 of 171, 9.4%), Pseudomonas spp. (18, 10.5%), Neisseria meningitidis (14, 8.2%), Acinetobacter spp. (32, 18.7%), Enterobacter spp. (38, 22.4%) and other coliforms (53, 31.0%).
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BMC Infectious Diseases

ISSN: 1471-2334

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