Healthcare-associated Infections in the Department of Pediatric Hematology-oncology; A Single Center Evaluation

Introduction: With advances in the treatment of Pediatric Hematology -Oncology (PHO) patients, the survival of patients are increasing day by day. However, Healthcare -Associated Infections (HAI) is still a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in this group of patients. This study aimed to evaluate the rates of HAI in patients who were hospitalized in Uludag University Medical Faculty PHO Clinic during the 4 -year study period. Materials and Methods: HAI was diagnosed according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) 2008 criteria. We recorded the number of patients admitted, the number of patients with HAI, the total number of HAI episodes, and the length of stay in hospital. We calculated HAI rate and HAI density (per 1000 patient -days). Results: During the four years, 3069 hospitalizations were recorded in 607 PHO patients (5.05 admissions per patient). 38.6% of the patients were female, and 61.4% male. The mean age was 100.8 +/- 63.6 months. The mean duration of hospitalization was 14 +/- 17.16 days. A total of 232 HAI episodes were recorded in 141 hospitalizations. HAI rate was 7.5%, and HAI density was 5.36/1000 patient -days. Conclusion: The HAI rates in our PHO unit were comparable to those of developed countries and lower than those of developing countries and prior results from our country.