Bacteraemia in a geriatric unit

A retrospective study was made of 50 consecutive cases of bacteraemia treated in a geriatric unit. The mortality rate was 24%, the highest incidence occurring amongst the cases of hospital-acquired bacteraemia where only 1 of 7 cases survived the infection. Pyrexia, acute confusion, and falls were the commonest presenting symptoms. The most frequently identified tissue sources for the bacteraemia were the genito-urinary tract (24%) and the lungs (22%). In 20% of cases the source of infection was unidentified.