Nosocomial infections in neonatology clinic and neonatal intensive care unit

Aim: Nosocomial infections (NI) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and neonatal clinic were evaluated during a one-year-period. Material and Method: 314 newborns were investigated for nosocomial infections. Local ethics committee approval was given for this study. Nosocomial infections was defined using the CDC criteria. Results: Nosocomial infections developed in 53% of 127 patients (58% with culture positivity) in the NICU and in 2.6% of 187 patients (all with a negative culture) in the neonatal clinic. In total, (NICU plus neonatal clinic), NI developed in 23% of hosptalized patients. Nosocomial infections rate was 42.3% and in terms of patient days, NI rate was 14/1000 patient-day. When evaluated separately, NI developed in 53.5% of patients admitted in NICU and in 2.6% of neonatal clinic patients. Also, NI rates were 17.9/1000 patient-day in NICU and 1.6/1000 patient-day in the neonatal clinic. Patients with NI stayed at the hospital for 73.6 +/- 47.8 day in NICU and for 16.0 +/- 6.7 day in the neonatal clinic. Nosocomial infections developed on the 29.4 +/- 30.9(th) d in NICU and on the 7.6 +/- 2.9(th) day in the neonatal clinic. In NICU, in terms of 128 NI episodes, the NI related mortality was 8.5%. 16.1% (n: 11) of the patients with NI died. They died on the 56.7 +/- 50.2(nd) day of admission and on the 25.8 +/- 10.2(nd) day second after NI diagnosis. There was no mortality in neonatal clinic patients. Conclusions: Our NI rates were slightly higher than the developed countries and lower than the developing countries. (Turk Arch Pod 2011; 46:302-7)