Invasive Device-Associated Hospital Infection Rates and Etiological Agents in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Aim: Firstly, compared the rate and etiological agents of invasive device-associated hospital infections (IDAHIs) in the Pediatric intensive care unit before and during Covid-19 Pandemic

 Materials and methods: Between February and December 2020, 73 IDAHI cases (evaluated in 653 patients) compared with the 78 IDAHI cases (evaluated in 768 patients) in same period of the previous year (February – December 2019)

 Results: Ventilator associated pneumonia were observed in 53 IDAHI cases during 2019 and 42 cases in 2020, that was no statistically significant difference. catheter-associated urinary tract infection observed in 1 IDAHI patient during 2019 and 2 patients in 2020 and p value achieved is not statistically significant. central venous catheter-associated blood stream infection observed in 24 IDAHI patient during 2019 and in 27 patients during pandemic situation that was no statistically significant difference. The most frequently isolated etiological agents before and during COVID-19 pandemic were: klebsiella, coagulase-negetive staphylococci(CONS), Candida spp, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter and Non-albicans candida that despite the decrease in the prevalence of these microorganisms during Covid-19 pandemic, there was no significant decrease compared to the previous pandemic.

 Conclusion: Despite limited studies, our results have shown that the rate IDAHIs in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit has not decreased and like before the Covid-19 pandemic and maybe more proper cleaning and sterilization or a high level disinfection of Invasive equipment is essential.