Pattern of hospital associated infections in a teaching hospital in Nigeria

ObjectiveThis study aimed at investigating the distribution and antibiogram of possible hospital associated pathogens, providing baseline information for the hospital.MethodsPatients with hospital associated infections in the various wards of OOUTH, Sagamu, between January 2007 and October 2010 were analyzed with respect to their age, sex, ward and duration of admission, site of infection, pathogens isolated and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern.ResultsThere were 12,109 discharges during the study period, out of which 217 had hospital associated infections giving an incidence rate of 1.8%. Surgical sites were the most infected (31.3%) while burns were the least infected (4.1%). Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequently isolated pathogen (37.3%) closely followed by Staphylococcus aureus (36.4%). Male surgical specialty and Neonatal wards had the highest hospital associated infections; each recorded 54 cases while the intensive care unit had only 4 cases during the period under study. Most of the isolates were sensitive to Ofloxacin and Ceftriazone while resistance was demonstrated against Azithromycin and Tetracycline by most isolates.ConclussionThe infection rate in this hospital is relatively low, however, regular surveillance remains a good control measure to either maintain the current infection rate or further reduce it.