Neonatal healthcare-associated infections in Brazil: systematic review and meta-analysis

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are important causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We reviewed the incidence and the pathogens involved in HAI among infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Brazil.

A search was conducted in the MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO databases from January 1995 to October 2019. Two authors scrutinized potential articles independently, after one author selected them from screening abstracts from every article flagged as related to neonatal HAI. Then, they were included in the review if they met our inclusion criteria. The studies were evaluated based on a quality score proposed by the authors, rated 0 to 1, with 1 point as the best quality rate. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for HAI cumulative incidence and incidence density were calculated, when the same denominators were available, using meta-analysis. A quality effect was applied to the models using the MetaXL software. Heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics and the Cochran's Q test.

Of a total of 5596 citations identified, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review, which comprised 24,408 patients and 312,744 patient-days. Quality of the studies varied between 0.36 and 1 according to the adopted score, and six (40.0%) studies presented a score of 1. Pooled HAI incidence was 36.1 (95% CI 22.8-50.7) infections and 26.3 (95% CI 18.4-35.0) infected patients per 100 patients. Pooled HAI incidence density was 23.5 (95% CI 16.3-33.9) per 1000 patient-days. Pooled incidence density rates of bloodstream infection and ventilator-associated pneumonia were 13.1 per 1000 catheter-days (95% CI 4.3-40.1) and 7.9 per 1000 ventilator-days (95% CI 1.1-55.5), respectively. A high degree of heterogeneity was observed in all models (I² > 98% and Cochran's Q test with p < 0.05). Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (32.1%), Staphylococcus aureus (13.8%) and Klebsiella spp. (12.4%) were the most prevalent causative bacterial pathogens.

The findings show high incidence of neonatal HAI in Brazilian NICU; therefore, efforts to standardize the collection and notification of HAI are needed in order to strengthen surveillance in the country and implement preventive measures, routine assessment, and close monitoring of neonates.