Prevalence and risk factors of nosocomial infections in different wards and seasons in two hospitals in northeastern Iran

The prevalence of nosocomial infections (NIs) is a significant health issue in developing countries, and the increased incidence rate of these infections results in longer hospital stays, more mental pressures, increased treatment costs, and higher antibiotic resistance. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of NIs in two hospitals from 2011-2018. In total, 1123 patients with a history of NIs, as reported in the NIs surveillance systems of the hospitals, were included in the study. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS version 16 using Chi-square tests to evaluate the relationship between hospital wards, age, and gender. The prevalence of NIs was higher in the training hospital than in the social security hospital. Also, the prevalence of NIs decreased from 2011-2017 but has increased since 2018. The highest prevalence of NIs was related to E. coli (9.35%), with gram-negative bacteria having the highest frequency (36.2%). In addition, the most common location of NIs was the ICU (23.95%). In terms of the site of infection, postoperative infections had the highest prevalence (38.91%). The results were indicative of a significant relationship between mean age and various hospital wards. In addition, there was a significant relationship between the hospitalisation ward and gender. Meanwhile, no significant association was found between age and hospitalisation ward (P<0.05). There is a need for periodic training for all hospital-based agents to reduce NIs, especially in wards where invasive measures are used for treatment.