Prevalence of nosocomial infections and their influencing factors in a tertiary general hospital in Qingdao

Abstract

Introduction: The goals of this study were to analyze the situation and dynamic change trend of the prevalence of nosocomial infections among inpatients, to investigate the use of antibiotics, and to provide evidence-based support for the development of targeted prevention and control measures for nosocomial infections and rational use of antibiotics.

Methodology: The nosocomial infection surveillance system was utilized to conduct a cross-sectional survey of nosocomial infections of all inpatients, followed by a statistical evaluation of the 5-year survey results.

Results: The average prevalence of nosocomial infections over the 5-year period (2017 to 2021) was 2.28%, and the incidence rate per case was 2.42%. The lower respiratory tract was the primary site of infection, followed by the urinary tract. The most prevalent pathogens of nosocomial infections were Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Escherichia coli; and the main strains of Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) included Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. The use of antibiotics accounted for 41.31% on average; and the proportion of antibiotics used for treatment was 84.99% on average. The average rate of pathogen examination was 51.09%, indicating an increasing trend (χ2 = 44.196, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The average prevalence of nosocomial infections over the past five years was 2.28% in this tertiary general hospital. Although the prevalence rate of nosocomial infections in the hospital was relatively low, it is necessary to strengthen the measures for prevention and control of infections of the lower respiratory tract, urinary tract, and surgical incision.

Keywords: antibiotics; healthcare-associated infections; infection site; nosocomial infection; pathogens; prevalence rate.