title: [Prevalence of nosocomial infections in a university hospital: distribution, predisposing factors and diagnostic indices].
abstract: Nosocomial infections are a major challenge for modern medicine and contribute to increased resource use in health care systems. The first hospital-wide prevalence survey of nosocomial infections was conducted at the University of Geneva Hospitals in 1994. At the time of the study, 16.9% of admitted patients had nosocomial infections (168/994). Leading infection sites were: urinary tract (30%), respiratory tract (17%), surgical wounds (12%) and bloodstream (9.6%). Rates of infection varied between hospital wards: intensive care (21%), surgery (19%), rehabilitation (18%), internal medicine (13%). However, the distribution of nosocomial infections varied according to surveillance and attribution rules. Optimal detection of nosocomial infections requires ward surveillance, including revision of microbiology, nursing (Kardex) and medical records; the combination of fever above 38 degrees C, prescription of antimicrobial agent(s), and positive microbiological records suggested the diagnosis of nosocomial infections in 95% of situations. Priorities for infection control were derived from these results.
authors.affiliation: Unité de prévention et contrôle de l'infection des Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frankart
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Copin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alexiou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sauvan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pittet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology