Rationale for and protocol of a multi-national population-based bacteremia surveillance collaborative.

Background: Bloodstream infections are frequent causes of human illness and cause major morbidity and death. In order to best define the epidemiology of these infections and to track changes in occurrence, adverse outcome, and resistance rates over time, population based methodologies are optimal. However, few population-based surveillance systems exist worldwide, and because of differences in methodology inter-regional comparisons are limited. In this report we describe the rationale and propose first practical steps for developing an international collaborative approach to the epidemiologic study and surveillance for bacteremia.

Findings: The founding collaborative participants represent six regions in four countries in three continents with a combined annual surveillance population of more than 8 million residents.

Conclusion: Future studies from this collaborative should lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology of bloodstream infections.