Epidemiological study of neonatal infections at the University Hospital of Londrina, Paraná - DOI: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v30i1.4386

Abstract

The greater susceptibility of neonates to infections results in higher rates of nosocomial infection (NIs) than in other patient populations. The objective of this work was to determine the frequency and profile of NIs in neonates associated to the main risk and death factors. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted on neonates with NIs admitted to the neonatal sector at the University Hospital of Londrina, between 2001 and 2005. The mean annual rate of neonatal NI was 18.3% over the course of five years. The most frequent infections were pneumonia (46.0%) and sepsis (49.1%), which were related to a hospitalization period of over 60 days. The use of tracheal tubes and vascular catheters increased threefold the risk of sepsis. The tracheal tubes and vascular catheters increased the risk of death by 3.26 and 2.50 times, respectively. NIs contributed to 85.7% of deaths. The mortality coefficient was 15.8%.