Risk Factors for Hospital-Acquired Infection in a Neonatology Service

<p><strong>Background</strong>: almost 5 million newborns die every year all over the world. 98% of them belong to developing countries. From 30% to 40% of neonatal deaths are related to infections. <br /><strong>Objective</strong>: to determine risk factors influencing the occurrence of hospital-acquired infections in a neonatology service. <strong><br />Methods</strong>: a case-control study was conducted in the Neonatology Service of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima General University Hospital of Cienfuegos in 2007. Cases included 76 newborns with hospital-acquired infection and their controls as well as neonates without hospital-acquired infection at a rate of one control per case. The following variables were analyzed: sex, birth weight, age, prenatal medical history, type and duration of labor, use of antibiotics and type of sepsis. Chi-square method was used with a maximum error of 5% and the risk odds ratio was used with a confidence interval of 95%. <strong><br />Results</strong>: 42, 1% of those infected were between 1500 g and 2499 g at birth. Infants whose mothers had presented vaginal sepsis had a higher risk for infection (62, 3%, OR = 5.9). Preterm delivery (89, 5%), premature rupture of membrane (22.4%), and instrumentation were potential risks for hospital-acquired infection. <strong><br />Conclusions</strong>: Preterm birth, low birth weight, the use of instrumentation and vaginal sepsis in mothers were the main risk factors for the occurrence of hospital-acquired infections in neonates.</p

Pulmonary tuberculosis risk stratification in communities of the Abreus municipality. Cienfuegos, 2015

Foundation: Tuberculosis is a priority research topic in Cuba, given the need to strengthen the response capacity for its elimination as a health problem.Objective: to stratify the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis in communities of the Abreus municipality.Methods: a descriptive study was carried out in the seven communities of the Abreus municipality, Cienfuegos province, during 2015. The information was obtained from the statistical departments of the health areas and the Municipal Hygiene and Epidemiology Unit. The absolute risk distribution method was used. The criterion for the stratification taken into account to define the high, medium and low risk strata was the average prevalence of risk factors according to the identified patients in 2015. The risk analyzed factors were: population over 60 years, contact rate of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, prevalence of acquired immunodeficiency virus/AIDS, alcoholics, social hardship cases, smokers, and diabetics. The MapInfo 7.5 program was used.Results: the prevalence of smoking was high, with 5 communities located in the medium riskstratum, one in the low risk stratum, and another (Cieneguitas) in the high risk stratum. Communities of Abreus, Charca, Cieneguita and Yaguaramas presented the highest percentage of factors located in the high risk stratum.Conclusion: Clinical epidemiological characteristics of the cases reported with pulmonary tuberculosis in the decade 2006-2015, in Abreus, show evidence of the potential risk of tuberculosis infection in the community.</p

Clinico-epidemiological characteristics of patients reported with intra-hospital infection in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Cienfuegos, 2015-2019

Background: the rate of intra-hospital infections is one of the qualities of services’ indicators; It acquires greater importance in pediatric intensive care units, due to its high incidence and severity.Objective: to characterize the cases of infection associated with health care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.Methods: retrospective descriptive study of patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Paquito González Cueto University Pediatric Hospital, Cienfuegos, who acquired an infection in this unit, in the period from 2015 to 2019. The analyzed variables were: age at discharge, sex, location of sepsis, high-risk procedure, use of microbiological support and its positivity, lethality.Results: the average rate of infection associated with care was 3.5 per 100 discharges; Children under one year of age were more affected with 27.3%. Respiratory infection predominated with 46.8%. The use of venous catheterization occurred in 94.8% of the cases and antimicrobials due to previous infections were applied in 49.4%. Microbiological support was performed in 77.9% and it was positive in 76.7%. Gram negative germs predominated. Four patients died.Conclusions: the nosocomial infection rate is comparable with the numbers reported internationally. Children under one year of age are more infected, with a non-negligible lethality, so prevention and control measures aimed at the main risk factors for their appearance must be taken to extremes.</p