%0 Journal Article %T Trends in Bacterial Blood Culture Isolates and Resistance in Children in Two Microbiologic Eras from a Tertiary Health Facility in North East Nigeria %A Elon Warnow Isaac %A Iliya Jalo %A Mohammed M. Manga %A Abubakar Joshua Difa %A Mercy Raymond Poksireni %A Oyeniyi Christianah %A Ibrahim Mohammed %A Muhammad Saminu Charanci %J Open Journal of Medical Microbiology %P 159-182 %@ 2165-3380 %D 2023 %I Scientific Research Publishing %R 10.4236/ojmm.2023.132014 %X Introduction: Antimicrobial Resistance surveillance is predicated on blood culture as a priority clinical specimen in especially resource limited settings. Establishing trends in blood stream infections and resistance patterns can inform institutional and national policy on antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance, infection prevention and control. Methodology: Blood Culture isolates in children (0 - 18 years) by conventional method from 2008-2012 and Bactec Automated culture system from 2015-2020 were retrieved. Information analyzed included age, sex, month, and year and culture growth/identity of microorganisms and their sensitivity/resistance patterns. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline for antibiotic susceptibility testing was used. Results: 20,540 children were admitted: 8964 (44.6%) and 11,630 (55.4%) in the Manual and Bactec blood culture era respectively. Blood cultures were done in 5271 in the manual culture era and 1077 in the Bactec culture era; of these cultures, 514 (9.7%) and 461 (42.8%) were positive for isolates in the respective era (p =