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1 "healthcare-associated infections"
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Original Article
Infection
Healthcare-associated infections in critical COVID-19 patients in Tunis: epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes
Ahlem Trifi, Selim Sellaouti, Asma Mehdi, Lynda Messaoud, Eya Seghir, Badis Tlili, Sami Abdellatif
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(4):425-434.   Published online November 28, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00773
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  • 3 Web of Science
  • 3 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted adherences to healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention protocols. Herein, we studied the characteristics of all HAIs occurring in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Methods
A retrospective, single-center cohort of critical COVID-19 patients during 2021. Microbiological samples were collected if HAI was suspected. We analyzed all factors that could potentially induce HAI, using septic shock and mortality as endpoints.
Results
Sixty-four among 161 included patients (39.7%) presented a total of 117 HAIs with an incidence density of 69.2 per 1,000 hospitalization days. Compared to the prior COVID-19 period (2013–2019), the identification of HAI increased in 2021. HAIs were classified into ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP; n=38), bloodstream infection (n=32), urinary tract infection (n=24), catheter-related infection (n=12), and fungal infection (n=11). All HAIs occurred significantly earlier in the post–COVID-19 period (VAP: 6 vs. 10 days, P=0.045, in 2017 and 2021). Acinetobacter baumannii (39.5%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (27%) were the most commonly isolated pathogens that exhibited a multidrug-resistant (MDR) profile, observed in 89% and 64.5%, respectively. The HAI factors were laboratory abnormalities (odds ratio [OR], 6.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3–26.0), cumulative steroid dose (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3–4.0), and invasive procedures (OR, 20.7; 95% CI, 5.3–64.0). HAI was an independent factor of mortality (OR, 8.5; P=0.004).
Conclusions
During the COVID-19 era, the incidence of HAIs increased and MDR isolates remained frequent. A severe biological inflammatory syndrome, invasive devices, and elevated cumulative steroid dosages were related to HAIs. HAI was a significant death factor.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections on Mortality Among COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients
    Corina Voinea, Elena Mocanu, Elena Dantes, Sanda Jurja, Ana-Maria Neculai, Aurora Craciun, Sorin Rugina
    Journal of Clinical Medicine.2025; 14(23): 8279.     CrossRef
  • Depression during the COVID pandemic in La Manouba Governorate, Tunisia: A community survey
    Mauro G Carta, Viviane Kovess, Amina Aissa, Amine Larnaout, Yosra Zgueb, Lubna A Alnasser, Maria Francesca Moro, Federica Sancassiani, Elisa Cantone, Salsabil Rjaibi, Nada Zoghlami, Mejdi Zid, Hajer Aounallah-Skhiri, Uta Ouali
    International Journal of Social Psychiatry.2024; 70(6): 1128.     CrossRef
  • Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains in a Hospital: Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Local Epidemiology
    Maria Vittoria Ristori, Fabio Scarpa, Daria Sanna, Marco Casu, Nicola Petrosillo, Umile Giuseppe Longo, De Florio Lucia, Silvia Spoto, Rosa Maria Chiantia, Alessandro Caserta, Raffaella Rosy Vescio, Flavio Davini, Lucrezia Bani, Elisabetta Riva, Massimo C
    Microorganisms.2024; 12(12): 2541.     CrossRef

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