ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of hospital infections (HIs), according to clinical specimens, predominant species causing these infections and to clarify the sources of these infections encountered in patients in intensive care unit (ICU) of Neurology Department of Süleyman Demirel University. Nasal, throat and gaita specimens were taken from 52 patients who Stayed in the ICU of neurology department with six bed capacity for at least 48 hours between October 2007-March 2008 to evaluate the microbial flora of the patients during the entry to the unit and 48 hours after the entry. All patients were evaluated according to clinical and labora-tory findings during the follow-up and infection site classifications were made in compliance with Center for Diseases Control and Prevention definitions. 86 HI episodes were detected among 31 patients during the study period. Escherichia coli (16,3%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15.2%) were the most common pathogens identified in the HIs, followed by coagulase negative staphy-lococci (%14.1). The most common isolation sites were tracheal aspirates and urine specimens for E.coli and P. aeruginosa while CNS were mostly isolated from blood cultures. Among 4 of 31 (12.9%) patients, etiological agent isolated during HI episode was isolated also from culture speci-mens taken during the entry to the unit. This finding let us suggest that the self microbial flora of the patients in the ICUs may constitute a pathogenic reservoir for the infections encountered during hospitalization.