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Published on: February 23, 2014

The changing aetiology of paediatric bacteraemia in England and Wales, 1998-2007

Katherine L Henderson1, Alan P Johnson1, Berit Muller-Pebody1

  • 1Department of Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London, UK.

Journal of Medical Microbiology
|October 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Bacteraemia in children increased annually from 1998-2007. Coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus were the most common causes, while vaccine-preventable pathogens decreased significantly.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Bacteraemia in children is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition requiring ongoing surveillance.
  • Understanding trends in pediatric bacteraemia is crucial for effective public health strategies and clinical management.
  • Previous studies have indicated shifts in causative pathogens, necessitating updated epidemiological data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the etiological trends of bacteraemia in children aged 1 month to 15 years in England and Wales.
  • To analyze changes in bacterial species causing bacteraemia over a 10-year period (1998-2007).
  • To assess the impact of vaccination programs on the incidence of specific vaccine-preventable pathogens.

Main Methods:

  • Voluntary data collection from National Health Service hospital microbiology laboratories across England and Wales.
  • Analysis of 51,788 reported bacteraemia cases over the 10-year study period (1998-2007).
  • Identification and quantification of bacterial genera and species responsible for pediatric bacteraemia.

Main Results:

  • Total annual bacteraemia reports increased from 4125 to 6916, a mean annual increase of 6.5%.
  • In 2007, coagulase-negative staphylococci (28%), Staphylococcus aureus (10%), non-pyogenic streptococci (9%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae (7%) were the most frequent causes.
  • Significant decreases in bacteraemia were observed for Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae following vaccine introductions.

Conclusions:

  • This study identified the predominant bacterial causes of pediatric bacteraemia in England and Wales.
  • Significant shifts in etiological trends were observed over the decade, including a decline in vaccine-preventable diseases.
  • Continued surveillance is essential to monitor evolving patterns of pediatric bacteraemia and inform public health interventions.

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