Evaluating blood culture collection practice in children hospitalized with acute illness at a tertiary hospital in Malawi.

Mukhula VT., Harawa PP., Phiri C., Khoswe S., Mbale E., Tigoi C., Walson JL., Berkley JA., Bandsma R., Iroh Tam P-Y., Voskuijl W.

BACKGROUND: Blood culture collection practice in low-resource settings where routine blood culture collection is available has not been previously described. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a secondary descriptive analysis of children aged 2-23 months enrolled in the Malawi Childhood Acute Illness and Nutrition (CHAIN) study, stratified by whether an admission blood culture had been undertaken and by nutritional status. Chi-square test was used to compare the differences between groups. RESULTS: A total of 347 children were included, of whom 161 (46%) had a blood culture collected. Children who had a blood culture collected, compared to those who did not, were more likely to present with sepsis (43% vs. 20%, p 

DOI

10.1093/tropej/fmad043

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Trop Pediatr

Publication Date

06/12/2023

Volume

70

Keywords

antimicrobial resistance, blood culture, bloodstream infection, children, malnutrition, Child, Humans, Malawi, Tertiary Care Centers, Blood Culture, Acute Disease, Sepsis, Gastroenteritis

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