Prevalence of bacterial infections among hospitalized patients with malignancies

Hospital-acquired bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with malignancies due to underlying immunosuppression and frequent exposure to invasive procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the types of infection and clinical outcomes of hospitalized cancer patients with nosocomial infections. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 19 hospitalized patients with malignancies at Razi Educational and Medical Center, Rasht, Iran, between 2021 and 2023. Demographic, clinical data, and patients’ outcomes were recorded. The mean age was 48.31 ± 18.14 years. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the most common infection (57.9%), followed by bloodstream infection (26.3%). Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen (52.6%). The mean time to infection onset was 8.21 ± 11.17 days, and the mean length of hospitalization was 16.84 ± 12.61 days. Overall in-hospital mortality was 42.1%. Among deceased patients, UTI (62.5%) and E. coli (62.5%) were most frequent. Nosocomial bacterial infections, particularly UTIs caused by E. coli, are common among hospitalized cancer patients and are associated with considerable mortality. Continuous surveillance and targeted infection control strategies are essential in oncology settings.