Surveillance of healthcare acquired infections in hospital and community: a retrospective study in Local Healthcare Organization of Rovigo

Background: antimicrobial resistance is recognized as one of the greatest threats to human health worldwide. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria are associated with higher incidences of mortality, morbidity, prolonged hospital stay and increase of costs. Surveillance of alert organism/conditions and bacterial resistance to antimicrobials is a systematic and dynamic system of data collection that analyses and monitors trends of bacterial resistance. This study was conducted to detect antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in order to inform treatment choices and generate hospital-wide baseline data. Methods: the Local Healtcare Oganization of Rovigo has started a program of surveillance on antimicrobial resistance in hospital and community. In this work some results of the surveillance of microorganism isolated and related antimicrobial resistance are reported, collected in the period 2009-2010 in Rovigo and Trecenta Hospitals, Territorial Nursing Homes (TNH) and community from patients’ blood, urine and respiratory samples. Results: data show a significant difference in the level of antibiotic resistance between the two Hospitals. High rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms are detected and carbapenems are the only reliable agents for the treatment of many infections in the Hospital of Trecenta and TNH. Conclusions: because ESBL producing bacteria are emerging pathogens in the community, the rational use of available antibiotics or the appropriate antimicrobial prescribing are imperative. Local surveillance is a powerful tool to detect and monitor hospital and community infections and provides information useful as a guide to medical practice, including therapeutics and disease-control activities.