Healthcare-associated infections in gynecology and obstetrics at a university hospital in the Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the spectrum of etiology and the incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among gynecologic and obstetric patients.

METHODS

In a descriptive survey, data were analyzed from in-patients at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, between January 2007 and December 2011.

RESULTS

Among 21 937 patients treated during the study period, there were 189 (0.86%) cases of HAI. Gynecologic patients had a higher incidence of HAIs (1.31%) compared with pregnant women (0.60%). The incidence of HAI was 0.13% after laparoscopic surgery, 0.63% after a minor gynecologic intervention, and 3.73% after major surgery. Vaginal delivery (0.36%) represented a low risk of HAI. Compared with vaginal delivery, the incidence of HAI increased twofold for planned cesarean delivery (0.64%), and tenfold for emergency cesarean delivery (3.63%). The majority of causative microorganisms (72.7%) were susceptible to penicillin antibiotics. None of the patients died as a result of HAI.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of HAIs at a university hospital in the Czech Republic was very low. Antibiotic resistance was only a minor problem, and the incidence of multiresistant strains was rare.