Epidemiological study of nosocomial bacteremia in al-Najaf al-Ashraf

Abstract EN

This study was performed between May 2006 and May 2007 to identify patients who had nosocomial bacteramia and identify the pathogen responsible and its resisitance to antibiotics.

Of 550 patients in various wards, 115 (20.9%) had positive blood cultures.

Gram-positive cocci were recognized in 46.9 % patients; these included coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus 16.5 %, Streptococcus pneumoniae 6.95% and other Gram-positive cocci.

Gram-negative bacilli were responsible 53.04 % of isolates.

However, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 21.73 % was the predominant isolate.

Patterns of drug resistance varied according to species of bacteria but were generally quite high.