Health care-associated infections: repeated prevalence surveys, 2003-2010

Introduction: Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are an important worldwide problem, especially in country with limited resources. Aims of the research: The aim of the study was to estimate the baseline epidemiological characteristics of health care-associated infections at the University Hospital in Kragujevac, Serbia. Patients and methods: Four prevalence surveys were conducted in 2003, 2005, 2009, and 2010. All surveys were performed according to the same study protocol. Results: Urinary tract infections, followed by surgical site infections and pneumonia and lower respiratory tract HAIs were the most prevalent. The prevalence of the urinary tract HAIs continues to rise, and there has been an increase in pneumonia and lower tract HAIs from 2003 to 2010. However, the rate of surgical site infections prevalence has decreased. Antibiotic usage showed a small decrease over time. But, the antibiotic usage without clear reason has increased. The Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas spp, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp) were the most frequently isolated microorganisms. Conclusion: The results of these prevalence surveys have reflected the sustained efforts at combating HAIs over the past decade in Kragujevac teaching hospital and have provided an incentive for a better definition of infection control priorities in high-risk healthcare settings.