Infecção hospitalar em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal: há influência do local de nascimento? / Nosocomial infections at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: does the place of birth matter?

OBJETIVO: Analisar comparativamente a incidência e o perfil etiológico da infecção hospitalar em recém-nascidos (RN) de origem interna e externa, admitidos em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal (UTIN). MÉTODOS: Estudo de coorte em RN internados na UTIN em 2002 e 2003. A vigilância epidemiológica das infecções hospitalares foi realizada prospectivamente, seguindo-se os métodos do National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System. Compararam-se as características clínicas, demográficas, a incidência de infecção hospitalar precoce e tardia e o perfil dos microrganismos isolados dos RN com infecção tardia, segundo o local de nascimento. RESULTADOS: Incluíram-se no estudo 426 RN de origem interna (88%) e 60 de origem externa (12%). A incidência de infecção hospitalar precoce foi 10% e tardia, 21%, sem diferença estatística entre os RN internos e externos quanto à ocorrência de infecção hospitalar precoce (p=0,40) e tardia (p=0,41). Entre os micro-organismos isolados na infecção tardia, 52% foram Gram-positivos, com predomínio do Staphylococcus coagulase negativo, tanto para as infecções em RN externos (33%) quanto internos (41%). Dentre os Gram-negativos, Pseudomonas spp. e Enterobacter spp. foram isolados com maior frequência nos RN externos. A sepse (54%) e a pneumonia (20%) foram as infecções mais frequentes. CONCLUSÕES: Entre os grupos de RN separados de acordo com o local de nascimento, não houve diferença na incidência de infecção hospitalar precoce e tardia e no agente etiológico predominante da infecção hospitalar tardia.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the hospital infection incidence rate and their etiologic profile among inborn and outborn infants admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). METHODS: This cohort study included newborns admitted to a NICU in 2002 and 2003. Hospital infection epidemiologic surveillance was conducted prospectively following the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System methodology. Clinical and demographic aspects, early and late hospital infection incidence rates, and the organisms isolated from newborns with late hospital infection were compared according to birth place. RESULTS: In this study, 426 (88%) inborn and 60 (12%) outborn infants were included. Early and late onset hospital infection incidence rate were 10% and 21% respectively, with no statistical difference between inborn and outborn infants for early (p=0.40) and late hospital infections (p=0.41). Among the microorganisms isolated in late hospital infections, 52% were Gram-positive organisms: coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the predominant bacteria for outborn (33%) and inborn infants (41%). Among Gram-negative organisms, Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacter spp. were more prevalent in outborn infants. Sepsis (54%) was the most frequent infection, followed by pneumonia (20%). CONCLUSIONS: No statistical difference was verified between inborn and outborn infants regarding early or late hospital infection incidence rates and the main etiologic agents isolated from infants with late hospital infection.

Prevalence, serotypes, and risk factors for pneumococcal carriage among HIV-infected adults.

From March 2000 through April 2001, 385 HIV-positive individuals were evaluated to determine the prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae nasopharynx carriage, to determine antimicrobial susceptibility and serotypes, and to study factors associated with carriage. Each patient was interviewed, and a nasopharyngeal culture, HIV viral load, and CD4 lymphocyte count were obtained. Of 385 patients studied, 64 were carriers of S. pneumoniae (17%). Intermediate susceptibility to penicillin occurred in 18 isolates (28%) and there were no resistant isolates; 50% of the isolates belonged to 3 serotypes (14, 6B, and 9V). One isolate belonged to clone Spain(9V)-3. Tobacco use and intravenous illicit drugs were associated with carriage; HIV viral load and CD4 lymphocyte level were not significantly associated with carriage. The use of the same unaltered antiretroviral regimen for a year or more was associated with a lower risk of colonization, suggesting that prolonged use of highly effective antiretroviral therapy lowers pneumococcal carriage and may lower the risk of infection.

Outbreak of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in a neonatal intensive care unit related to onychomycosis in a health care worker.

Four cases of infection by extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae occurred in the neonatal intensive care unit. Isolation, empiric therapy change and education produced no effect. Newborn weekly colonization rates were 0-18.7%. One health care worker with onychomycosis was positive for extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae. Isolates were identical by molecular typing. Outbreak was controlled when the health care worker was excluded from the neonatal intensive care unit.