Definitions
Endocarditis was defined according to the modified Duke criteria
(Tables 1 and 2).4 Bacteremia was defined as catheter-associated
if all of the following criteria were met: (1) 1 blood culture
yielded S aureus while a vascular catheter was in place; (2) clinical
evidence of a local infection was present (fever, inflammation at
the catheter insertion site); and (3) no evidence of an alternative
source was present.5 Hospital-acquired bacteremia was defined as
a positive blood culture occurring 72 hours after admission. A
follow-up blood culture was defined as a blood culture obtained 2
to 4 days after an initial positive blood culture (with antibiotic
treatment).1 Recurrence of SAB was defined as a positive blood
culture for S aureus after treatment for an initial infection with at
least 1 negative blood culture after completion of initial therapy.