Staphylococcal bacteraemia in Zimbabwe 1983

We have reviewed 107 cases of staphylococcal bacteraemia in order to assess the current clinical spectrum of serious staphylococcal sepsis in Zimbabwe, where staphylococcal bacteraemia is common. Infection was hospital-acquired in 35 cases and community-acquired in 72 cases. The mortality rate was 28%. Most patients were young, with predisposing conditions such as prematurity, protein-caloric malnutrition and measles. The length of the prodromal illness tended to be short and a primary site of infection, usually the lungs or skin, was obvious in 66% of patients. In 30% there was evidence of metastatic spread, usually to meninges, bone, joint and muscle, but endocarditis was uncommon. Metastatic infection was rare when infection was acquired in hospital. Death appeared to be associated with measles, protein-caloric malnutrition, acquisition of infection in hospital, absence of an obvious focus of infection and with inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Aggressive treatment with antibiotics intravenously was the rule. A combination of penicillin and an aminoglycoside was favoured until the nature of the infecting organism was established. Of those patients who died, 38% had received less than 72 h antibiotic therapy. Multiple antibiotic resistance is now widespread in Zimbabwe.