Surveillance of nosocomial infections in Barbados - abstract

ABSTRACT

The results of surveillance of nosocomial infections at the 600-bed Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a period of 6 months are reported. All services of the hospital except obstetrical were included, because of its large population and very rapid turnover of patients. An 8.5 percent nosocomial infection rate was detected with a total of 569 infections in 463 patients among 6667 cases discharged from the services surveyed. Urinary tract infections accounted for 31.6 percent, surgical wound infections 21 percent, respiratory tract infection 14.4 percent, bacteraemia/septicaemia 6.5 percent, gastroenteritis 4.9 percent and miscellaneous, 21.6 percent. The most common organisms cultured in association with these infections were E. coli (22.0 percent Klebsiella sp. (17.2 percent), staphylococcus aureus (16.5 percent), neonatal care unit (12 percent) and general medical ward (9.1 percent). Infection rates of <3 percent were observed in paediatrics, opthalmology and oncology, with otolaryngology having the lowest nosocomial infection rate of 1.3 percent (AU)