Applied Microbiology

Biography

Biography: Heavin Hannan

Abstract

Nosocomial infections represent a major health problem not only in terms of excess morbidity for patients and doctors, but also contribute to significant economic loss. Among hospital-acquired infections, pneumonia caused by mechanical ventilation is considered to be one of the most important hospital infections and the main cause of death in the intensive care units. This study was conducted in the surgical intensive care unit at the University Hospital of Aleppo in Syria during 2005-2012. In this study, Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) occurs approximately in 9-27% of all the intubated patients at least after 48 hours from mechanical ventilation. VAP occurred in the 273 patients, 174 (64%) of them died. The percentage of VAP in our study was 71% among the mechanically ventilated male patients and 29% among females. VAP is divided into two types: Early VAP occuring during the first four days of intubating and its percentage is 35%, while the Late VAP occurs after the four days and its percentage is 65%. The bacteria that are responsible for VAP are varying. The most common are Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa followed by Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter SPP. The most common bacteria in our study were Staphylococcus 17.98%, Pseudomonas 13.08%, Streptococcus 11.44%, Acinetobacter 7.79%. Prior antibiotic usage was present for all patients and the most effective antibiotics were Imipenem and Meropenem. To protect patients from VAP, prevention measures such as hand washing, avoidance of unnecessary antibiotics, wearing gowns and gloves and limiting the magnitude of aspiration by placing patients in a semi-upright position should be taken. The typical precaution for VAP, which is mainly dependant on early diagnosis ways and therapeutic programs, is still the issue of discussion all over the international centers.