A prospective study of hospital-acquired infections among adults in a tertiary hospital in north-western Nigeria

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. This study examined the epidemiology, clinical outcomes and microbiological profile of HAIs. Methods: This prospective study was carried out on patients identified to have developed HAIs while admitted to the medical wards, surgical wards, dialysis unit and intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital. Patients were recruited consecutively until the target study population was reached. A clinical evaluation and relevant laboratory investigations were carried out. Results: A total of 100 patients who had 144 episodes of HAIs were studied. Rates of HAIs were 7.16%, 18.63% and 1.75% in the medical wards, ICU and surgical wards, respectively. The most common HAI was urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli. High-level resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics, especially ampicillin and ceftriaxone, was observed among causative bacteria. Conclusion: The burden of HAIs is high and similar to other parts of Nigeria. There is a need for continued surveillance of HAIs in all the wards of the hospital in order to fully describe the extent of the problem.