Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies have been conducted in Vietnam on the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections or antimicrobial use. Thus, we sought to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for surgical-site infections (SSIs) and to document antimicrobial use in surgical patients in a large healthcare facility in Vietnam.
METHODS: We conducted a point-prevalence survey of SSIs and antimicrobial use at Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, a 1,250-bed inpatient facility. All patients on the 11 surgical wards and 2 intensive care units who had surgery within 30 days before the survey date were included.
RESULTS: Of 391 surgical patients, 56 (14.3%) had an SSI. When we compared patients with and without SSIs, factors associated with infection included trauma (relative risk [RR], 2.65; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 1.60 to 4.37; P < .001), emergency surgery (RR, 2.74; CI95, 1.65 to 4.55; P < .001), and dirty wounds (RR, 3.77; CI95, 2.39 to 5.96; P < .001). Overall, 198 (51%) of the patients received antimicrobials more than 8 hours before surgery and 390 (99.7%) received them after surgery. Commonly used antimicrobials included third-generation cephalosporins and aminoglycosides. Thirty isolates were identified from 26 SSI patient cultures; of the 25 isolates undergoing antimicrobial susceptibility testing, 22 (88%) were resistant to ceftriaxone and 24 (92%) to gentamicin.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that (1) SSIs are prevalent at Cho Ray Hospital; (2) antimicrobial use among surgical patients is widespread and inconsistent with published guidelines; and (3) pathogens often are resistant to commonly used antimicrobials. SSI prevention interventions, including appropriate use of antimicrobials, are needed in this population.
Sohn AH, Parvez FM, Vu T, Hai HH, Bich NN, Le Thu TA, Le Hoa TT, Thanh NH, Viet TV, Archibald LK, Banerjee SN, Jarvis WR
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002 Jul;23(7):382-7
PMID: 12138977