Healthcare-associated neonatal infections in an intensive care unit Southwest of Paraná

Introduction: Healthcare-associated neonatal infections (HAIs) are a worldwide public health problem. In Brazil, evidence-based studies are still scarce and underreported. In the Southwest region of Paraná, research on the subject is rare. Objective: To study the occurrence of HAI in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Southwest Regional Hospital, from April 2011 to December 2019, as well as its distribution by topography and through microorganisms. Methodology: This is a descriptive, retrospective, documental study, with a quantitative approach, including all medical records of newborns admitted to the NICU. In the period studied, data were collected by checking documents related to nosocomial infection indicators and the cultures performed, contained in the database of the Hospital Infection Control Commission (CCIH) of the hospital. Results: The results of 286 cases of neonatal HAI were observed, which represented an average annual rate of 18.9%, with a male predominance (54.8%). Cesarean section was performed in 66.2% of the cases and 82.7% of the neonates had a gestational age of less than 37 weeks of birth, with prematurity as the main risk factor for the development of HAIs. Primary blood stream infection (PCI) predominated (44.4%) and the most frequently identified microorganisms were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (17.2%), Klebsiella pneumonia (11.9%), and Candida albicans (4.2%). Conclusions: To emphasize that studies such as this one, even on a small scale and at an observational level, provide information of great value, to assist in the management of these patients.