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. 2022 Apr;40(4):183-186.
doi: 10.1016/j.eimce.2021.01.007.

Bacteremia during COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary hospital in Spain

Saray Mormeneo Bayo  1 , María Pilar Palacián Ruíz  2 , Miguel Moreno Hijazo  2 , María Cruz Villuendas Usón  2
Affiliations

Bacteremia during COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary hospital in Spain

Saray Mormeneo Bayo et al. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2022 Apr.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: The reasons for the decrease in blood cultures were investigated and the rate and aetiology of bacteremia and contaminated blood cultures collected from COVID and non-COVID patients were assessed.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis in a tertiary hospital in Spain during the COVID period from 4th March 2020 to 21st June 2020.

Results: The number of blood cultures processed was 5313, representing 22.7% and 18.8% of decrease compared to the same months of 2019 and 2018, respectively (p=0.173). The rate of bacteremia was 1.2% higher among COVID-patients than among non-COVID patients (p<0.001). COVID patients had a higher proportion of nosocomial bacteremia (95.5%) than non-COVID patients (30.5%) (p<0.001). In COVID-positive patients, the contamination rate was 12.3% vs 5.7% in non-COVID patients (p<0.001).

Conclusion: There was a decrease in the number of blood cultures collected during the COVID period compared to previous years. Bacteremia in COVID patients was mainly nosocomial and catheter-related.

Introducción: Investigar la causa de la disminución de los hemocultivos recibidos y evaluar la tasa y la etiología de la bacteriemia y la contaminación de los hemocultivos extraídos en pacientes con COVID-19 y sin COVID-19.

Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo en un hospital de tercer nivel en España durante el periodo de COVID-19 del 4 de marzo al 21 de junio de 2020.

Resultados: Se procesaron 5.313 hemocultivos, representando una disminución del 22,7 y 18,8% respecto de los mismos meses de 2019 y 2018 (p = 0,173). La tasa de bacteriemia fue 1,2% superior en pacientes con COVID-19 (p < 0,001). Los pacientes positivos en COVID-19 tenían una mayor proporción de bacteriemia nosocomial (95,5%) que los pacientes sin COVID-19 (30,5%) (p < 0,001). En pacientes positivos en COVID-19, la tasa de contaminación fue del 12,3 vs. 5,7% en pacientes sin COVID-19 (p < 0,001).

Conclusión: Durante el periodo de COVID-19 disminuyó el número de hemocultivos recibidos, en comparación con años anteriores. La bacteriemia en pacientes con COVID-19 fue principalmente nosocomial y se asoció con el catéter.

Keywords: Bacteremia; Bacteriemia; Blood culture; COVID-19; Hemocultivo.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number of blood cultures processed from March 4th to June 21st, during 2018, 2019 and 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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