title: A prevalence survey of nosocomial infection in a Brazilian hospital.
abstract: A study to determine the prevalence of hospital-acquired infection was undertaken in the Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre Hospital in Brazil. The study was carried out in selected clinical areas of the hospital over a one-year period from 1987 to 1988. Of 397 patients surveyed, infections were present in 168 (42.3%); 53 (13.4%) were hospital acquired and 115 (29%) community acquired. The commonest infections involved the lower respiratory tract (30%), bacteraemias (24.4%) and the urinary tract (10%). A high prevalence of infection was encountered in the intensive care units.
authors.affiliation: Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Serviço de Controle de Infeccão Hospitalar, Brazil.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petrillo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fagundes
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology