Hospital Infection Rates in a Neurology Intensive Care Unit in a One-year Period: Pathogenic and Clinical Evaluation
Fettah Eren1, Gözde Öngün2, Onur Ural3, Şerefnur Öztürk2
1Health Sciences University, Konya Training and Research Hospital, Department of Neurology, Konya, Turkey
2Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Konya, Turkey
3Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Konya, Turkey
Keywords: Nosocomial infection, neurological intensive care unit, surveillance
Abstract
Objective: Nosocomial infections (NI) are serious threats for patients, especially those treated in intensive care units (ICU), which have high risk. Therefore, determining the infectious agents in this area and treating the infections are crucial for both the prognosis of primary disease and the time of stay in hospital. In this study, we aimed to perform an active infection surveillance in the neurological ICU (NICU).
Materials and Methods: Two hundred ninety-one patients who stayed in NICU over a twelve-month period were included in the study. Data obtained by infection control committee of our faculty according to “Centres for Disease Control and Prevention” diagnostic criteria were used for the diagnosis of NI. Isolated microorganisms and their systemic involvement were examined.
Results: The infections in NICU constituted 6.39% of all NI in the hospital. These were skin and soft tissue infections (3.13%), bloodstream infections (9.38%), pneumonia not associated with mechanical ventilator (9.38%), pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilator (6.25%), and urinary tract infections (UTI) (71.88%). Fourteen different microorganisms were determined in the unit over the twelve months.
Conclusion: Caution is advised regarding urinary catheter insertion and care because catheters are the most common cause of infection, UTI, in the ICU. Also, diagnosis of NI and determining the antibiotic sensitivity of the causal microorganisms are very important for the determination of empiric treatment and reducing mortality and morbidity.