title: Prevalence of hospital-associated infections can be decreased effectively in developing countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are an important public health problem worldwide. Little information is available from African countries, but published data show that the burden of HAI is greater in Africa than in developed countries. In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines for preventing HAI.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a hospital infection control programme on the prevalence of HAI among patients in a large Ugandan hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A one-day cross-sectional prevalence survey and a ward procedure survey were performed in Lacor Hospital in March 2010 using standardized questionnaires. All patients admitted to hospital not less than two days before the survey were eligible to participate in the prevalence survey. Modified WHO criteria for HAI were used. The ward procedure survey examined the procedures to prevent HAI. Several hospital infection control measures were subsequently implemented, in accordance with WHO infection control guidelines, starting in October 2010. The prevalence survey and ward procedure survey were repeated in October 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HAI was 34% in 2010 and 17% in 2011. The prevalence of infected patients reduced from 28% to 14%. The prevalence of HAI was lower in all age groups and for all types of HAI except urinary tract infections following the implementation of infection control activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that HAI is an important problem in this large African hospital, and that the prevalence of HAI can be reduced effectively following the adoption of basic infection control procedures.
authors: St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, Gulu, Uganda.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ogwang
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Paramatti
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Molteni
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Ochola
authors: T R
authors: TR
authors: Okello
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Ortiz Salgado
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kayanja
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Greco
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Kizza
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Gondoni
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Okot
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Praticò
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Granata
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Filia
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kellar Ayugi
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Greco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult