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Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology Publication Info

Article DOI: 10.1086/502070
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/502070
Prevalence of Surgical‐Site Infections and Patterns of Antimicrobial Use in a Large Tertiary‐Care Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam • 
Annette H. Sohn , MD, Farah M. Parvez , MD, Tien Vu , MD, Hoang H. Hai , MD, Nguyen N. Bich , MD, Le Thi A. Thu , MD, Le Thi T. Hoa , MD, Nguyen H. Thanh , RN, Truong V. Viet , MD, Lennox K. Archibald , MD, MRCP (UK), DTM&H, Shailen N. Banerjee , PhD and William R. Jarvis , MD
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology , Vol. 23, No. 7 (July 2002), pp. 382-387
Article DOI: 10.1086/502070
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/502070
Original Articles

Prevalence of Surgical‐Site Infections and Patterns of Antimicrobial Use in a Large Tertiary‐Care Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Abstract(back to top)

BACKGROUND. Few studies have been conducted in Vietnam on the epidemiology of healthcare‐associated infections or antimicrobial use. Thus, we sought to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for surgical‐site infections (SSIs) and to document antimicrobial use in surgical patients in a large healthcare facility in Vietnam.

METHODS. We conducted a point‐prevalence survey of SSIs and antimicrobial use at Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, a 1,250‐bed inpatient facility. All patients on the 11 surgical wards and 2 intensive care units who had surgery within 30 days before the survey date were included.

RESULTS. Of 391 surgical patients, 56 (14.3%) had an SSI. When we compared patients with and without SSIs, factors associated with infection included trauma (relative risk [RR], 2.65; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 1.60 to 4.37; P < .001), emergency surgery (RR, 2.74; CI95, 1.65 to 4.55; P < .001), and dirty wounds (RR, 3.77; CI95, 2.39 to 5.96; P < .001). Overall, 198 (51%) of the patients received antimicrobials more than 8 hours before surgery and 390 (99.7%) received them after surgery. Commonly used antimicrobials included third‐generation cephalosporins and aminoglycosides. Thirty isolates were identified from 26 SSI patient cultures; of the 25 isolates undergoing antimicrobial susceptibility testing, 22 (88%) were resistant to ceftriaxone and 24 (92%) to gentamicin.

CONCLUSIONS. Our data show that (1) SSIs are prevalent at Cho Ray Hospital; (2) antimicrobial use among surgical patients is widespread and inconsistent with published guidelines; and (3) pathogens often are resistant to commonly used antimicrobials. SSI prevention interventions, including appropriate use of antimicrobials, are needed in this population.

Bibliographic Information(back to top)

  • Prevalence of Surgical‐Site Infections and Patterns of Antimicrobial Use in a Large Tertiary‐Care Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Annette H. Sohn , MD, Farah M. Parvez , MD, Tien Vu , MD, Hoang H. Hai , MD, Nguyen N. Bich , MD, Le Thi A. Thu , MD, Le Thi T. Hoa , MD, Nguyen H. Thanh , RN, Truong V. Viet , MD, Lennox K. Archibald , MD, MRCP (UK), DTM&H, Shailen N. Banerjee , PhD and William R. Jarvis , MD
  • Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
  • Vol. 23, No. 7 (July 2002) (pp. 382-387)

Author Information(back to top)

Annette H. Sohn , MD; Farah M. Parvez , MD; Tien Vu , MD; Hoang H. Hai , MD; Nguyen N. Bich , MD; Le Thi A. Thu , MD; Le Thi T. Hoa , MD; Nguyen H. Thanh , RN; Truong V. Viet , MD; Lennox K. Archibald , MD, MRCP (UK), DTM&H; Shailen N. Banerjee , PhD; William R. Jarvis , MD

Notes and References(back to top)

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Notes

Drs. Sohn, Parvez, Vu, Archibald, Banerjee, and Jarvis are from the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases; and Drs. Sohn and Parvez are from the Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Applied Public Health Training, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Drs. Hai, Bich, Thu, Hoa, and Viet and Ms. Thanh are from Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Address reprint requests to Annette H. Sohn, MD, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of California–San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143‐0136. The authors thank the surgical, nursing, and medical records staff at Cho Ray Hospital who assisted in the prevalence survey; Vo Thi Chi Mai for her assistance with antimicrobial susceptibility data; and T. Grace Emori and Teresa Horan for their advice regarding the NNIS System.

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© 2002 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved.