Urologic sepsis

Urologic sepsis is a common, potentially lethal problem which accounts for considerable nosocomial morbidity and expense. The incidence of gram-negative rod sepsis at large medical centers is greater than 10 per 1000 hospital admissions, and its frequency is still increasing. In most of these patients, gram-negative rod sepsis develops in the hospital. The urinary tract is the most frequent source, accounting for over one third of all cases, with a case-fatality rate of approximately 15 per cent. It is important to identify the factors that place patients at risk for developing these infections so that steps may be taken to prevent them. Also, it is important to recognize the clinical manifestations of these infections so that prompt and appropriate therapy can be instituted, and thus morbidity and mortality kept to a minimum.