[Accumulated microbiological data. Surveillance of infection/antibiotic policy]

Database reviews of the findings in bacteriological specimens from a period of six years from patients in a department of haematology are employed as a model of how cumulative data about the microorganisms isolated may be employed for surveillance of accumulated infections and in the organization of the antibiotic policy of a department. During the period of observation, the standard treatment with antibiotics for febrile episodes in granulocytopenic patients was altered to piperacillin and netilimicin on the basis of the frequent occurrence of Gram-negative rods including Pseudomonas aeruginosa in blood cultures. It is concluded that accumulated microbiological data is of value for a clinical department and that analysis of the data does not constitute an increased work-load provided that the microbiological reports are routinely registered in a database.