Nosocomial Infections: A 360-degree Review

It has been shown that nosocomial infections or hospital acquired infections are recurrent problems, identified chiefly in intensive care facilities, surgical, and medical wards. In Trinidad and Tobago information on nosocomial infections are lacking. Within the period 1992-1995, 7,158 nosocomial infections were documented from 72,532 patients (10.0/100 admissions). In Europe, incidences vary from 1% for all types of nosocomial infections and up to 23.6% in pediatric intensive care units. In the United States of America, the center for disease control and prevention calculated approximately 1.7 million nosocomial infections from all types of microorganisms resulting in 99,000 deaths annually. In this literature review we report the latest information on nosocomial infections affecting the skin and soft tissue, the urinary tract, the respiratory tract, bloodstream, and central nervous system. Risk factors, antibiotic resistance, and management of some infections are also discussed.