Epidemiological and Microbiological Characteristics of Nosocomial Infections in the Neurosurgery Department

Abstract

Introduction. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in neurosurgery departments are a serious problem, especially for patients in severe clinical condition. A high risk of HAIs is associated with medical interventions in the CNS, and brain injury itself is a particularly strong predictor of nosocomial infections.

Aim. The aim of the study was to perform an epidemiological and microbiological analysis of the incidence of infections in the neurosurgery department.

Material and Methods. Retrospective analysis was performed on the records of patients hospitalised in the neurosurgery department between 2019 and 2022. There were 4,267 patients, among whom 114 infections were found in 69 patients. The collected material was analysed statistically.

Results. HAIs accounted for 1.6% of all hospitalised patients, occurring more frequently in men (42%). The infection incidence rate in 2019 was 3.7 and in 2022 — 2.5. The most commonly isolated pathogens were Enterobacterales. The most frequent diagnoses were respiratory tract infections (PN) — 24.56%, followed by bloodstream infections (BSI) — 20.18%, and surgical site infections (SSI) — 17% The percentage of PN (p=028) and SSI (p=0.027) infections decreased from year to year, and increased in BSI (p=0.022); statistically significant data. The mean for GCS differed significantly among patients with gastrointestinal infection (GI), p=0.021, and was highly statistically significant for BSI and PN, p<0.001. The mean for NRS 2002 differed significantly among patients with and without infection, p<0.05.

Conclusions. Nosocomial infections occur in a small percentage of hospitalised patients, some of whom have more than one nosocomial infection. There is a need for epidemiological surveillance and collaboration between infection control specialists and neurosurgery staff to optimise HAI prevention and control. (JNNN 2024;13(2):69–77)