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Home Topics Infectious Diseases Infections A-Z Bacteraemia ›  Bacteraemia

Bacteraemia

Staphylococcus aureus

Bacteraemia occurs when bacteria get into the bloodstream.  Bloodstream infection is also sometimes called septicaemia, which implies greater severity/clinical significance.  A wide variety of bacteria can cause bacteraemias, the two most common being Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Photo: Janice Carr / CDC

The HPA undertakes surveillance of bacteraemia by collecting information from hospital microbiology laboratories.  For some organisms ( Staphylococcus aureus and glycopeptide-resistant enterococci) it is mandatory for hospitals to supply data but for other species of bacteria data is supplied on a voluntary basis.  In addition, sentinel surveillance is undertaken by the reference laboratories where isolates are sent in by sentinel laboratories for centralised testing for susceptibility to antibiotics.  This data can be used to help clinicians choose the best antibiotics.