title: Device-associated infections in a Colombian neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed at determining device-associated infection rates, device use rates and the microbiologic profile of nosocomial infections in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) in Bogotá, Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective nosocomial infection surveillance was implemented in a neonatal intensive care unit for 11 months in line with the High Risk Nursery component of the Colombian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance programme. Patient-days, length of stay, device use rates and device-associated nosocomial infection rates were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1 998 device days were observed among 2 890 patient days during the 11 months' surveillance. Central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection was the most common device-associated infection for all birth-weight categories. 69,2 % and 100 % of all coagulase negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus infections were methicillin resistant strains and all gram negative rods were susceptible to third generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, ciprofloxacin and piperacillin-tazobactam. Device-associated infection and device use rates in the ICU were higher than Colombian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance reports for October 2004 and reports from Colombia and other Latin-American countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This surveillance identified blood-stream infection as being the most common infection in the ICU in question. Efforts should thus be directed at establishing suitable infection-control practices.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá. gacontrerasc@unal.edu.co
authors.forename: Germán A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Contreras-Cuellar
authors.forename: Aura L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Leal-Castro
authors.forename: Reinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Alba L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Carvajal-Hermida
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000382:microbiology*; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000382:microbiology