Bacteremia: the significance of outside versus inside hospital origin

168 patients with bacteremia seen in 1965-1969 were studied with regard to mortality rate, age and sex distribution, sources of infection, predisposing factors and infecting organisms. Special attention was drawn to outside hospital originating bacteremia vis-a-vis hospital-acquired bacteremia. In general, the results obtained were essentially in agreement with earlier experiences elsewhere. The most striking observations were, firstly, the grave prognosis associated with hospital-acquired bacteremia and, secondly, the dominant role played by gram-negative bacilli.