Clinical and microbiological profile of nosocomial infections in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

This study was conducted in PICU of a teaching hospital to estimate the incidence of nosocomial infections, establish the clinical and bacteriological profile and identify probable exogenous source from the environment and personnel. 95 suspected cases of nosocomial infections were studied prospectively, identified as per the guidelines laid down by CDC. The rate of nosocomial infections was 27.3% with an incidence of 16.2 per 100 patient days. The incidence of urinary, respiratory and intravascular catheter related infections was 56.52%, 34.78%, 10.52% respectively. Klebsiella (33.33%) was the most common isolate with maximum sensitivity to amikacin. During the study, an outbreak of MRSA nosocomial infection was encountered and the source was traced to portable suction pump. The risk of nosocomial infection was directly related to the duration of stay in the PICU and duration of placement of indwelling catheters,tubes.

Effect of pre-operative skin preparation on post-operative wound infection.

A prospective randomised trial was carried out to compare the efficacy of method of scrubbing the operative site for ten minutes with an antiseptic (GpA; n = 68) with a simplified method where the antiseptic was merely painted onto the operation site (GpB; n = 67). The median age, sex distribution and the types of procedures done in each group were similar as was the antibiotic policy. There were a total of 11 patients who got infected, 6 in the group A and 5 in the group B. No significant difference could be demonstrated in the infection rates between the two groups. It is concluded that the old method of prolonged scrubbing the operation site can safely be omitted to a more simplified version.