Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Assistant Professor of Community Medicine
2 Resident of Community Medicine, School of Medicine
3 Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract
Burned patients are at risk of acquiring infection because of their destroyed skin barrier, suppression of immunity, prolonged hospitalization, and invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Most of the studies on infections in burned patients are focused on burn wound infections, while nosocomial device-associated infections in this patient group are not described well. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the incidence rate of nosocomial infections in the Ghotbeddin burn center of Shiraz. The study was conducted prospectively during a period of 11 months from December 2000 to November 2001. All patients presenting with no signs and symptoms of infection within the first 48 hours of admission were included. CDC definitions for nosocomial infections were applied. One-hundred and six patients met the inclusion criteria. Ninety-one (86%) acquired at least one infection (44.7 per 1000 patient-days), including 28 urinary tract-, 30 blood stream, and 91 burn wound infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common causative agent of nosocomial infections. Considering the high incidence of nosocomial infections in our center, improved infection control practices and policies have to be implemented, and a comprehensive educational campaign for all health care workers is urgently needed.
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