Active surveillance cultures in critically ill patients: pathogens, patterns, and correlation with eventual bloodstream infections.

Background: The role of routine active surveillance cultures (ASCs) in predicting consequent bloodstream infections is unclear.

Objectives: To determine prospectively whether routine screening ASCs obtained on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) can predict the causative agent of subsequent bloodstream infections.

Methods: We prospectively studied a cohort of 100 mechanically ventilated patients admitted consecutively to a 16-bed ICU.