Neonatal Nosocomial Infections: A Kashmir Experience

Abstract

Introduction: Nosocomial Infection (NI) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). These infections are growing globally and are associated with future life postinfection morbidity, increased length of stay in the hospital, and healthcare costs. Aim: To determine the frequency of neonatal NI and most common sites of infections in our NICU. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at NICU of Department of Pediatrics, GB Pant Hospital, an associated hospital of Govt Medical College, Srinagar, from April 2017 to September 2017. Neonates admitted for more than 48 hours in the NICU, who developed infections as evidenced by the clinical and/or laboratory parameters were included in the study. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 300 neonates studied, 160 were males and 140 were females, among whom 12 were extreme premature (<28 weeks of gestation), and 30 were very low birth weight (<1500 grams). The incidence of NI rate in our NICU was 37.33% with prematurity and low birth weight as major risk factors (p<0.05). Sites of infection were primary blood stream infections in 70(62.52%), pneumonia in 20(17.85%), meningitis in 10(8.92%), and others 12(10.71%). Among the studied neonates we found, Klebsiella in 45(40%), Staphylococcus aureus in 34(30%), E. Coli in 11(9.8%), Acitinobacter in 7(6.25%), Pseudomonas in 3(2.67%) and others 12(10.71%). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the high incidence rate, sites and types of microorganisms causing NI at NICU so that appropriate antibiotics can be judiciously used. This study highlights the need for the development of robust measures to reduce the incidence rate of NI.

Keywords

• bacteria
• incidence
• neonatal intensive care unit