Volume 10, Number 9, September 2004

Computer Algorithms To Detect Bloodstream Infections

William E. Trick,* Brandon M. Zagorski,† Jerome I. Tokars,* Michael O. Vernon,† Sharon F. Welbel,†‡§ Mary F. Wisniewski,†‡ Chesley Richards,* and Robert A. Weinstein†‡§
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; †Chicago Antimicrobial Resistance Project, Chicago, Illinois, USA; ‡Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA; and §Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Figure 4. Comparison of the hospital-acquired, primary, central-venous catheter (CVC)-associated bloodstream infection (BSI) rate for adult patient–care units determined by two separate manual methods (i.e., infection control professional [ICP] and investigator review), by positive blood culture plus manual CVC determination, and by computer algorithm, Cook County Hospital, September 1, 2001–February 28, 2002, Chicago, Illinois. The number of hospital-acquired, primary, CVC-associated bloodstream infections determined by investigator review is displayed in parentheses. Correlation coefficient (r) and p value for comparisons between investigator review and each method were as follows: infection control professional review r = 0.95, p = 0.001; blood culture + central line determination r = 0.90, p = 0.006; computer algorithm r = 0.91, p = 0.004. ICU, intensive-care unit.

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This page last reviewed August 19, 2004

Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention