Blood stream infections

Blood stream infection (BSI) is one of the most devastating preventable complications in Critical Care Units. It has far-reaching consequences resulting in prolonged length of hospital-stay, high costs to the individual and exchequer, and, in many instances, loss of life. Although exact rates of BSI differ markedly worldwide, figures in the US are around 19.8 episodes per 1000 central-line days (CI 95%; 16.1–23.6) with an approximate incidence of 100,000 episodes annually [1]; the rate, in USA, falls to 5.8 (CI 95%; 3.8–7.8) when only microbiologically documented episodes are considered [2] and to 8.75% in Indian ICUs [3]. The need to bring these two data groups (microbiologically proven and clinical sepsis) as close as possible is every infectious disease specialist’s dream.