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Hospital acquired infections in a medical intensive care unit

Naeem Akhtar1

  • 1Department of Pathology, Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi. naeeakh@yahoo.com

Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP
|July 21, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Nosocomial infections are common in intensive care units (ICUs), with respiratory and urinary tracts most affected. High antibiotic resistance rates necessitate stricter infection control and susceptibility testing for effective treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a significant challenge in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • Understanding the spectrum of pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of nosocomial infections in medical ICU patients.
  • To identify causative organisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi.
  • Clinical samples were collected from ICU patients with signs of infection.
  • Standard microbiological techniques and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (disc diffusion) were employed.

Main Results:

  • 60.1% of samples yielded bacterial or Candida spp. isolates.
  • Respiratory tract infections (47.95%) and urinary tract infections (25.3%) were most common.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Candida spp. were prevalent; high resistance to common antibiotics was observed, except for amikacin and imipenem.

Conclusions:

  • High rates of HAIs and antibiotic resistance were found in the medical ICU.
  • Implementation of strict infection control practices is recommended.
  • Antibiotic prescription should be guided by susceptibility testing to combat emerging resistance.

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