A prospective study of the diagnostic utility of sputum Gram stain in pneumonia.

Introduction: Sputum Gram stain and culture have been said to be unreliable indicators of the microbiological diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia. The etiological diagnosis of pneumonia is surrounded by great degree of uncertainty. This uncertainty should be and can be calculated and incorporated in the diagnosis and treatment.

Prevalence of nosocomial infections after surgery in Greek hospitals: results of two nationwide surveys.

Objective: To determine the frequency and type of nosocomial infections (NIs) (especially surgical-site infections [SSIs]), risk factors, and the type and duration of antibiotic use among surgical patients in Greek hospitals.

Design: Two point-prevalence studies.

Setting: Fourteen Greek hospitals.