Prevalence of Bacterial Nosocomial Infections in the ICU Ward of Shohada-Ashayer Hospital of Khorramabad, 2018

Abstract

Background: Hospital infections are among the most significant health problems, affecting the quality of health services in hospitals and leading to increased hospitalization costs, prolonged treatment durations, the spread of various infections in society, and even mortality among hospitalized patients. In recent years, these infections have increased worldwide. Objectives: The present study investigated the epidemiological aspects of nosocomial infections in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Shohada-Ashayer Hospital in Khorramabad during the first nine months of 2018. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, conducted from April 2018 to December 2018, all patients hospitalized in the ICU of Shohada-Ashayer Hospital, Khorramabad, were evaluated for nosocomial infections. Results: This study found that out of 917 patients hospitalized in the ICU, 92 patients (10%) contracted nosocomial infections. Among these, 59 (64.1%) were men and 33 (35.9%) were women, with an average age of 61.23 ± 18.64 years. The youngest patient was 18 years old, and the oldest was 95 years old. The highest prevalence of nosocomial infection was catheter-associated infections, accounting for 37 cases (40.3%), followed by urinary tract infections (UTI) with 31 cases (33.7%). The highest antibiotic resistance was observed against cotrimoxazole (74 cases, 80.4%), ceftriaxone (67 cases, 72.8%), and ceftazidime (67 cases, 72.8%), while the highest antibiotic susceptibility was to ciprofloxacin (24 cases, 26.1%) and amikacin (22 cases, 23.9%). The most frequently isolated bacterium from the cultures of the studied patients was Acinetobacter spp., found in 26 cases (28.3%). Conclusions: These results indicate that nosocomial infections in the ICU, particularly those associated with the use of invasive devices such as catheters, are a major cause of hospital-acquired infections. Additionally, the high level of drug resistance observed in various isolated microorganisms is a serious concern.