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Prevalence of Healthcare-Associated Infections in a Tertiary Hospital in Casablanca, Morocco, 2021
Soukaina Lyazidi1, Mohamed Ouhadous2,3, Mounir Arai2,3
1Laboratory of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Hassan II, Casablanca, MAR.
Insights
Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevalence was 9.7% in a hospital during COVID-19. Invasive devices, higher ASA scores, and longer stays were linked to HAI, with imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii posing a significant threat.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- COVID-19 pandemic increased healthcare professional workload, potentially impacting infection prevention and control (IPC) programs.
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant concern in hospital settings, especially during pandemics.
- Understanding HAI prevalence and associated factors is crucial for effective patient care and hospital safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) at Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center (IRUHC).
- To identify factors associated with the occurrence of HAIs within the hospital.
- To address the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance, particularly imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IRAB).
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted on November 30, 2021, at IRUHC.
- Included all patients hospitalized for at least 48 hours.
- Data collected via questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS, with a significance level of 0.05.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of HAI was 9.7%, with intensive care units (ICUs) showing the highest rate (44.2%).
- Nosocomial pneumonia was the most frequent HAI (26.8%), with Acinetobacter baumannii (18.0%) and Escherichia coli (16.0%) as primary isolates.
- Imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IRAB) was prevalent, and HAI was significantly associated with invasive devices, higher ASA scores, and longer hospital stays (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- The emergence of IRAB presents a critical therapeutic and epidemiological challenge.
- Effective monitoring of the microbial environment is essential.
- Strict adherence to hygiene measures is imperative to control HAI spread and combat antimicrobial resistance.
Background:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals experienced an increased workload, which may have affected infection prevention and control (IPC) programs and consequently healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HAI in Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center (IRUHC) and identify associated factors.
Methods:
A survey was conducted on November 30, 2021 at IRUHC, including all patients hospitalized for at least 48 hours. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS IBM software version 16. The significance level was set at 0.05.
Results:
Among 887 patients, the prevalence of HAI was 9.7% (7.7%; 11.6%). The highest prevalence was observed in intensive care units (ICUs) (44.2%). Nosocomial pneumonia was the most common site (26.8%). The main isolated microorganisms were Acinetobacter baumannii (18.0%) and Escherichia coli (16.0%). All Acinetobacter baumannii isolated strains were imipenem-resistant. The presence of HAI was significantly associated with the presence of an invasive medical device (p<0.001), a higher physical status score of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) (p<0.001), and a longer hospital stay (p<0.001). Conclusion : The emergence of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IRAB) represents a serious therapeutic and epidemiological problem requiring the establishment of a system for monitoring the microbial environment and the application of strict hygiene measures.
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