Characterization of primary bloodstream infections in a public teaching hospital

Abstract

Objective. To characterize Primary Bloodstream Infections (PBI) in a teaching hospital in the interior of Paraná. Method. This is a documentary, longitudinal, retrospective, and quantitative study, which analyzed records of Primary Bloodstream Infections Reports that occurred between January and December 2020. Results. A total of 452 (100%) Infections Related to Health Care (IRHC) were found, of which 117 (26%) were bloodstream related. The occurrence was higher in male patients (60%), hospitalized in pediatric (23%), and neurology units (21%). The age group with the lowest frequency of infection was 20 - 40 years. Twenty types of microorganisms were detected in blood cultures, being Staphylococcus spp. (44%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (15%) the most frequent. A total of 43% of microorganisms showed resistance to some type of antimicrobial. Conclusion. The identification of the PBI profile makes it possible to institute evidence-based measures, however, in the study we observed that despite the measures established by the SCIH, there is still a gap between the recommendations for IRHC control and care practice. It is recognized that when health services and their teams are aware of the magnitude of the problem and adhere to the recommended measures, it is possible to considerably minimize the impact of IRHC. In view of this, the importance of carrying out studies on this problem is highlighted. In this perspective, continuing education plays an important role in raising awareness among professionals to adopt safe care practices. As a limitation of the study, although the aforementioned service performs a rigorous active search for IRHC cases, we recognize the possibility of substantiating cases.