Factors associated with positive blood cultures in children in nine African and Asian countries: the ACORN2 surveillance network.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Blood culture (BC) in children has relatively low diagnostic yield and high contamination rates, limiting cost-effectiveness. We aimed to determine readily available baseline characteristics to identify hospitalised children with a likelihood of higher diagnostic yield in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

We used data from ACORN2, a prospective clinical surveillance network including 19 hospitals across Africa and Asia. We included participants <18 years, hospitalised for a suspected infection, prescribed parenteral antibiotics and with a BC sample. Sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded for each infection episode and linked to routine microbiology data. We described true pathogen (non-contaminant) BC positivity proportion and performed mixed-eff

SUBMITTER: Ardura-Garcia C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12542579 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature