Bacteroides bacteraemia. A clinical and bacteriological analysis of 51 patients

During a 7-year period Bacteroides bacteraemia was found in 51 patients, corresponding to 1.9% of all patients with positive blood cultures. Many patients had serious underlying diseases, most frequently in the gastrointestinal tract, and 80% were subjected to surgery. Frequent clinical findings were shock (27%), phlebitis (24%) and jaundice (22%). The overall mortality was 55%. Increased mortality was associated with shock, advanced age and phlebitis. Bacteroides fragilis, showing a very homogeneous biochemical pattern, was the species most frequently isolated. The strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol and tetracycline, and as a rule also to erythromycin. It was confirmed that Bacteroides isolated from the blood usually indicates true bacteraemia.