SEPTICEMIA IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Four thousand twenty-one consecutive blood cultures obtained from infants and children during the period 1956 through 1962 were analyzed. Two hundred eighty-four (7.1%) of these were positive, representing 198 patients with clinical evidence of septicemia. The over-all mortality rate was 30%. Approximately one-fourth of the patients were newborn babies, with 38% mortality rate; while another one-fourth were children with a chronic underlying disease, with 53% mortality rate. Of the microorganisms identified in the blood cultures, staphylococci, the enteric bacteria, D. pneumoniae and H. influenzae were found in greatest numbers. In children with chronic disease, the enteric bacteria (63% mortality rate) and staphylococci (70% mortality rate) were most common. In previously well children, D. pneumoniae (17% mortality rate), H. influenzae (9% mortality rate) and staphylococci (17% mortality rate) were the most frequent. During the first year of life, staphylococci —coagulase-negative as well as coagulasepositive strains—and the enteric bacteria dominated the neonatal period, while D. pneumoniae and H. influenzae were most prominent after the first month. The over-all mortality rate of patients with septicemia rose significantly over the 7 years of this study. The reasons for this are discussed.