Nosocomial diarrhoea in relation to sanitation state: a study in Tikrit, Iraq.

A cross-sectional hospital-based study of 259 children aged < 5 years was carried out in Tikrit, Iraq, to identify the prevalence of nosocomial diarrhoea and sources of contamination in the ward environment. Nosocomial diarrhoea was diagnosed in 84 children (32.4%). Children with diarrhoea were more likely than unaffected children to be bottle-fed, given unboiled water, to have unclean food containers and contaminated bed sheets. Three out of 5 brands of formula milk (unopened cans) were contaminated. Three-quarters of medical staff and employees had contaminated hands. Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Citrobacter spp. were the most commonly identified microorganisms. A greater emphasis on personal hygiene, improved care practices and promotion of breastfeeding is recommended.