Antibiotic Therapy for Positive Blood Cultures

 

Author: Emilio V. Perez-Jorge, MD (Click HERE for disclosures) Steve D. Burdette, M.D., FACP (Click HERE for disclosures, and HERE for CME Committee Disclosures)

 

To obtain CME Credit: 1) Register for CME benefits through antimicrobe.org, 2) read, reflect, and complete the online monograph “Antibiotic Therapy for Positive Blood Cultures” and fax completed test questions and evaluation to 937-208-2621, attention “Antimicrobe CME Coordinator.”  Users who are not registered to apply for CME credit must click HERE for an application and cost information.  CME certificates will be sent via email within 7 days of submission.  To view online chapters, you will need Internet Explorer 6, Firefox 2, Safari 2 or newer; and "Cookies" enabled in your browser. You must have access to a printer and fax machine to obtain credit.

 

This chapter’s estimated time of completion is 90 minutes.

 

Monograph release date: 7/1/2010                         Monograph expiration date: 12/31/2011          

             

Click HERE for Antimicrobe.org disclosure information, CME charges, privacy statement, and other administrative information. To view the Wright State University Privacy Statement, click HERE.

 

CME Objectives:

 

1.   List the criteria for antibiotic therapy for positive blood cultures and construct the differential diagnosis.

2.   Recall that positive blood cultures can be caused by both infectious and non-infectious etiologies.

 

CME Questions:

 

1.   Which of the following organisms is  a catalase positive and coagulase positive Gram Positive cocci:

a.   Staphylococcus epidermidis
b.   Staphycoccus hominis
c.   Viridans group Streptococcus
d.   Staphylococcus aureus
e.   Streptococcus pneumoniae

2.   Which of the following Staphylococcal species NOT has been associated with episodes of endocarditis:

a.   S. aureus
b.   S. haemolyticus
c.   S. lugnudensis
d.   S. saprophyticus
e.   S. epidermidis

3.   You are called with a report of “Enterococcus faecalis” isolated in your patient’s blood cultures. Which antibiotic WOULD NOT be an appropriate empiric choice:

a.   Ampicillin plus gentamicin
b.   Vancomycin
c.   Ertapenem
d.   Imipenem
e.   Meropenem

4.   The lab calls you because they have isolated a “lactose fermenter” gram negative rod in a blood culture. The most logical choice of empiric antibiotic therapy would be:

a.   Ceftriaxone
b.   Ampicillin/Sulbactam
c.   Vancomycin
d.   Clindamycin
e.   Piperacillin/Tazobactam

5.   One of the following candida species is usually resistant to fluconazole:

a.   C. albicans
b.   C. krusei
c.   C. parapsilosis
d.   C. lusitaniae

6.   Infection by which of the following organism requires a funduscopic evaluation to rule out endophtalmitis:

a.   S. epidermidis
b.   E.coli
c.   Candida albicans
d.   Enterococcus spp.
e.   Corynebacterium spp.

CME Evaluation

 

1.   Did this monograph help you identify antibiotic therapy for positive blood cultures criteria and understand the differential diagnosis?                                                   Yes         No

2.   Do you now understand that antibiotic therapy for positive blood cultures can be caused by both infectious and non-infectious etiologies?                                               Yes         No

3.   Was timely and will influence how I practice?                                        Yes         No

4.   Will help me improve my patient care?                                                  Yes         No

5.   Was free of commercial bias?                                                                Yes         No

a.       If no, explain:__________________________________________________

Name: ________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________

City: _________________               State: _____________________ Zip: ____________

Phone Number: (____)________________  Email Address: _______________________

CME Credits Claimed________________

 

 

Wright State University (WSU) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This educational activity is awarded a maximum of 1.5 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should only claim credit for time that he/she spent in the activity.

 

 

Wright State University

Department of Medicine

C/O CME Coordinator

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CHE Bldg 2nd Floor

Dayton, Ohio 45409

937-208-2621