The importance of reporting cases of healthcare associated infections in neonatology wards

Abstract

The healthcare associated infections are the infections in the newborn confirmed by bacteriological cultures (blood culture, culture of cerebrospinal fluid, urine); positive anamnestic-clinical data after 72 hours of life, associated with ICU hospitalization and invasive procedures (intubation, mechanical ventilation, umbilical and peripheral vein catheterization, central artery catheterization, administration of solutions from a single vial to several children). The present study highlights the fact that neonatology departments have a high risk of healthcare associated infections due to the vulnerability of young patients to various germs in hospitals, as evidenced by many cases of sepsis and respiratory infections. In this study, we found a significant increase in the healthcare associated infections reporting in the middle of the study period, followed by a decrease in half the number of reported cases, this fact probably due to awareness of the phenomenon by health units management, the correct implementation of guidelines and protocols, protocols regarding the healthcare associated infections prevention or, why not, due to an underreporting.

Keywords

• healthcare associated infections
• neonatology
• underreporting