Repeated prevalence studies of nosocomial infections in one university hospital in Serbia.

BACKGROUND/AIM Nosocomial infections occur worldwide and affect both developed and resource-poor countries. The aim of this paper was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for nosocomial infections in one Serbian hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three-point prevalence surveys were conducted in the Clinical Center of Kragujevac (1240 beds). The standard definitions for nosocomial infections of the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention were used. The authors conducted surveys according to the same protocol. RESULTS The prevalence of infected patients and the overall prevalence of nosocomial infections was 6.2% and 7.1% in 2003, 4.6% and 4.6% in 2005, and 7.6% and 8.7% in 2009, respectively. In all three studies, the risk factors for nosocomial infections were older age, intravascular catheters, urinary catheters, longer hospital stays, hospitalization in an intensive care unit, and surgeries. According to the multivariate regression analysis, a prolonged hospitalization and use of a urinary catheter were independent risk factors for nosocomial infections in the first and second study. CONCLUSION The overall healthcare-associated infection prevalence in our hospital increased from 2003 to 2009, and this was an incentive for a better definition of infection control priorities in high-risk departments.