Prevalence of hospital acquired infections in the intensive care unit of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin Nigeria

Abstract EN

Background : Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are defined as infections which develop 48 hours after hospital admission or within 48 hours after being discharged.

This study investigates the prevalence rate of HAIs and the risk factors involved in Ilorin Nigeria.

Materials and Methods : Blood samples were collected from 50 adult patients and environmental swabs were collected from ICU.

Socio-Demographic characteristics of the subjects were obtained using closed ended structured questionnaires.

Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 package.

Results : The study revealed 12 % prevalence of HAI in the ICU.

Risk factors were found to be statistically significant for the patients that used central vein cannula (p = 0.000).

The use of other devices such as peripheral vein cannula (p = 0.594), mechanical ventilation (p = 0.756), endotracheal intubation (p = 0.378) in this study was found to be statistically not significant.

Length of hospital stay (p = 0.266), surgical operation (p = 0.510) and associated medical diseases (p=0.314) were also considered not significant in association with HAIs.

Conclusions : The use of invasive devices contributes to the development of HAIs in ICU patients and adequate preventive measures should be employed in the ICU to reduce the problem caused by HAIs.