A survey on the prevalence of health care–associated infections at the Fann University Hospital in Dakar, Senegal

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of health care–associated infections (HAIs) at Fann Hospital, describe the profile of patients with HAI, and identify the causative pathogens.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional survey of the records of patients hospitalized in eight departments of the Fann University Hospital for a microbiologically confirmed HAI from January 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024. Data were collected using an HAI surveillance form and analyzed using R software version 4.4.0.

Results

Over a 3-month period, 62 cases of HAI were recorded out of a total of 1725 patients, giving a hospital attack rate of 3.5%. The median age of the patients was 59 years (interquartile range: 68-47). Males predominated (54.8%). Hospitalized patients came directly from their homes (40.3%) or from other university hospitals (35.5%). Arterial hypertension (29%) and diabetes mellitus (19.3%) were the main comorbidities. A history of previous surgery was found in 8% of the cases. Fever was the most common clinical manifestation (71%), followed by respiratory symptoms (29%). The medical devices used were venous (100%) and urinary catheters (54.5%). The most frequently isolated bacteria were Pseudomonas spp (23.6%), Staphylococcus aureus (21.8%), and Escherichia coli (21.8%). In terms of the resistance phenotype, 43.6% and 21.8% of patients had extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, respectively. During hospitalization, 45 patients received nonspecific antibiotic therapy at the time of HAI. Death occurred in 11 patients, representing a fatality rate of 17.7%.

Conclusions

The quarterly prevalence of HAIs was high in our hospital. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the factors associated with their occurrence.