Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T03:52:13.806Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Device-Associated Nosocomial Infection Rates in Intensive Care Units of Argentina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Victor Daniel Rosenthal ,
Sandra Guzmán  and
Christopher Crnich
Victor Daniel Rosenthal
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Consultant, Inc., Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sandra Guzmán
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Consultant, Inc., Buenos Aires, Argentina
Christopher Crnich
Affiliation:
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Nosocomial infections are an important public health problem in many developing countries, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. No previous data are available on the incidence of device-associated nosocomial infections in different types of ICUs in Argentina.

Methods:

We performed a prospective nosocomial infection surveillance study during the first year of an infection control program in six Argentinean ICUs. Nosocomial infections were identified using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System definitions, and site-specific nosocomial infection rates were calculated.

Results:

The rate of catheter-associated bloodstream infections in medical-surgical ICUs was 30.3 per 1,000 device days; it was 14.2 per 1,000 device-days in coronary care units (CCUs). The rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia in medical-surgical ICUs was 46.3 per 1,000 device-days; it was 45.5 per 1,000 device-days in CCUs. The rate of symptomatic catheter-associated urinary tract infections in medical-surgical ICUs was 18.5 per 1,000 device-days; it was 12.1 per 1,000 device-days in CCUs.

Conclusion:

The high rate of nosocomial infections in Argentinean ICUs found during our surveillance suggests that ongoing targeted surveillance and implementation of proven infection control strategies is needed in developing countries such as Argentina.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , March 2004 , pp. 251 - 255
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Haley, RW, Culver, DH, White, JW, et al. The efficacy of infection surveillance and control programs in preventing nosocomial infections in US hospitals. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121:182–205.Google Scholar
2.Infection Control Standards Working Party representing Association of Medical Microbiologists, Hospital Infection Society, Infection Control Nurses Association, Public Health Laboratory Service. Standards in Infection Control in Hospitals. London: Laboratory of Hospital Infection, Public Health Laboratory Service; 1993.Google Scholar
3.Anonymous. Clinical sepsis and death in a newborn nursery associated with contaminated parenteral medications: Brazil, 1996. MMWR 1998;47:610–612.Google Scholar
4.Rezende, EM, Couto, BR, Starling, CE, Modena, CM. Prevalence of nosocomial infections in general hospitals in Belo Horizonte. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1998;19:872–876.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Ponce de Leon, S, Rangel-Frausto, MS, Elias-Lopez, JI, Romero-Oliveros, C, Huertas-Jimenez, M. Nosocomial infections: secular trends of a control program in Mexico. Salud Publico Mex 1999;41:S5–S11.Google Scholar
6.de Lourdes Garcia-Garcia, M, Jimenez-Corona, A, Jimenez-Corona, ME, Solis-Bazaldua, M, Villamizar-Arciniegas, CO, Valdespino-Gomez, JL. Nosocomial infections in a community hospital in Mexico. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2001;22:386–388.Google Scholar
7.Macias, AE, Munoz, JM, Bruckner, DA, et al. Parenteral infusions bacterial contamination in a multi-institutional survey in Mexico: considerations for nosocomial mortality. Am J Infect Control 1999;27:285–290.Google Scholar
8.van Gorkom, J. Nosocomial transmission in low-income countries. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 1999;3:1144–1145.Google Scholar
9.Rosenthal, VD, Guzman, S, Pezzotto, SM, Crnich, CJ. Effect of an infection control program using education and performance feedback on rates of intravascular device-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units in Argentina. Am J Infect Control 2003;31:405–409.Google Scholar
10.Rosenthal, VD, Guzman, S, Orellano, PW. Nosocomial infections in medical-surgical intensive care units in Argentina: attributable mortality and length of stay. Am J Infect Control 2003;31:291–295.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Rosenthal, VD, McCormick, RD, Guzman, S, Villamayor, C, Orellano, PO. Effect of education and performance feedback on handwashing: the benefit of administrative support in Argentinean hospitals. Am J Infect Control 2003;31:85–92.Google Scholar
12.Garner, JS, Jarvis, WR, Emori, TG, Horan, TC, Hughes, JM. CDC definitions for nosocomial infections, 1988. Am J Infect Control 1988;16:128–140.Google Scholar
13.Emori, TG, Culver, DH, Horan, TC, et al. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (NNIS): description of surveillance methods. Am J Infect Control 1991;19:19–35.Google Scholar
14.Maki, DG, Weise, CE, Sarafin, HW. A semiquantitative culture method for identifying intravenous-catheter-related infection. N Engl J Med 1977;296:1305–1309.Google Scholar
15.National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Interpretive Standards,> vol. 2. Villanova, PA: National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards; 1997.+vol.+2.+Villanova,+PA:+National+Committee+for+Clinical+Laboratory+Standards;+1997.>Google Scholar
16.Balows, A, Hausler, W, Shadomy, H. Manual of Clinical Microbiology. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology; 1991.Google Scholar
17.Bueno-Cavanillas, A, Delgado-Rodriguez, M, Lopez-Luque, A, Schaffino-Cano, S, Galvez-Vargas, R. Influence of nosocomial infection on mortality rate in an intensive care unit. Crit Care Med 1994;22:55–60.Google Scholar
18.Dinkel, RH, Lebok, U. A survey of nosocomial infections and their influence on hospital mortality rates. J Hosp Infect 1994;28:297–304.Google Scholar
19.Fagon, JY, Novara, A, Stephan, F, Girou, E, Safar, M. Mortality attributable to nosocomial infections in the ICU. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1994;15:428–434.Google Scholar
20.Jarvis, WR. Selected aspects of the socioeconomic impact of nosocomial infections: morbidity, mortality, cost, and prevention. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1996;17:552–557.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Haley, RW. Measuring the costs of nosocomial infections: methods for estimating economic burden on the hospital. Am J Med 1991;91:32S–38S.Google Scholar
22.Daschner, F. Unnecessary and ecological cost of hospital infection. J Hosp Infect 1991;18:73–78.Google Scholar
23.National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System report: data summary from January 1992-June 2001, issued August 2001. Am J Infect Control 2001;29:404–421.Google Scholar
24.Fridkin, SK, Pear, SM, Williamson, TH, Galgiani, JN, Jarvis, WR. The role of understaffing in central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infections. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1996;17:150–158.Google ScholarPubMed
25.Robert, J, Fridkin, SK, Blumberg, HM, et al. The influence of the composition of the nursing staff on primary bloodstream infection rates in a surgical intensive care unit. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21:12–17.Google Scholar
26.Goldmann, DA, Maki, DG. Contamination of fluid for parenteral nutrition. NEngl J Med 1974;290:1437–1438.Google Scholar
27.Maki, DG, Hassemer, CA. Endemic rate of fluid contamination and related septicemia in arterial pressure monitoring. Am j Med 1981;70:733–738.Google Scholar
28.Maki, DG, Anderson, RL, Shulman, JA. In-use contamination of intravenous infusion fluid. Appl Microbiol 1974;28:778–784.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Rosenthal, VD, Guzman, S. Prospective study of the impact of open and closed infusion systems on rates of central venous catheter-associated bacteremia. Am J Infect Control. In press.Google Scholar