Hospital-acquired infection in neonatal ICU

Abstract

Hospital acquired infections (HAl) continue to be a major public health problem throughout the world specially between the neonates in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) being a very vulnerable group due to defective i1mnunity and the increasing number of teclmology dependant infant . Extra costs of nosocomial infections resulted not only from

prolongation of hospital stay, but also from other medical costs. Infection control for preventing nosocomial infections may play an important role in reducing medical costs, hospital stay, and mortality in hospitalized patients.

Hospital acquired infection in NICU takes many fonns, the most frequent fonns are blood stream (28%) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (21%), Meningitis, gastro-enteritis, skin and eye infection are also cmmnon fonns .

Many risk factors of HAl in NICU are involved, the most important are excessive invasive procedures as cannulation, central venous catheter placement, incubation and ventilation. The duration of hospital stay plays an important role; i.e. the longer the stay, the higher the incidence of HAl (Yogaraj et al., 2002). Improper use of antibiotics also contributes to the

emergence of resistant strains and increased rate of HAl (Hmming et a/.,

1997). The age of the neonate has also a role as studies showed that the peak incidence of infection occuned between 1oth and 20th day, and also low birth weight infants are more vulnerable .