European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are one of the worst events that can occur to a hospital admitted patient. HCAIs can cause increase in economic burden to patient and patient load to hospital. Objectives: The objective of this study was to generate HCAI rate based on laboratory data and to identify the common pathogens associated with nosocomial infections prevalent in various Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and surgical wards.
Method: This is a laboratory-based targeted surveillance conducted from 1^st June 2019 to 30^th September 2019. The study included all the patients admitted in the ICUs, surgical wards and burn ward within the study period and had positive culture result of their clinical specimen. Results: The incidence of nosocomial infection in ICUs and wards was 21.49%. It was observed that people are more prone to acquiring infection if the duration of stay in ICU is ≥ 7 days. Most common isolated organism was K. pneumoniae followed by P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii and E. coli making more than 70% isolates. Conclusions: The mean HAI rate was 21.49%, implicates massive failure in preventing these infections by the health care workers. All parties involved must make a conscious effort to implement hospital Infection Prevention & control practices. Use of devices such as urinary catheter and peripheral/central iv lines should be minimized and used judiciously.  Duration of device days should be reduced as much as possible.