An outbreak of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii at Songklanagarind Hospital: the risk factors and patient prognosis.

Objective: To investigate for the factors associated with acquisition of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IRAB) at Songklanagarind Hospital and the subsequent patient mortality outcome.

Design: A case-control study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors for IRAB acquisition using imipenem-sensitive A. baumannii (ISAB) as controls.

Extra charge and extra length of postoperative stay attributable to surgical site infection in six selected operations.

Background: Information concerning the economic impact of surgical site infection (SSI) is very rare in Thailand. As the national health care financial system has been changing, the need for such data is critical.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to estimate the extra charge and excess postoperative hospitalization attributable to SSI in six surgical operative procedures comprising appendectomy, herniorrhaphy, mastectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, and craniotomy.

Device-associated infections and patterns of antimicrobial resistance in a medical-surgical intensive care unit in a university hospital in Thailand.

Background: Surveillance of nosocomial infection in the intensive care unit (ICU) received a high level of attention and outcome indicators are now used in benchmarking the quality of patient care. Since 1999 the surveillance has targeted three site-specific, device-associated infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central-line-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI), and catheter-related urinary tract infection (CR-UTI). The authors conducted a two-year prospective study on the incidences of these infections acquired in an ICU and report herein, together with the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the microorganisms isolated in an ICU.

Surgical site infections in patients undergoing major operations in a university hospital: using standardized infection ratio as a benchmarking tool.

Background: Because patterns of infection acquired in patients undergoing operation are ever changing, it is an essential part of nosocomial infection surveillance programs to periodically document the epidemiologic features of infection in these patients. This study was conducted with the primary intention of describing the incidence and risk factors of the surgical site infection (SSI).

Methods: We performed a prospective study in patients undergoing certain major operations at a 750-bed university hospital in Thailand.

Trauma severity scoring systems as predictors of nosocomial infection.

Objectives: To describe the patterns of nosocomial infections in patients with traumatic injuries and to compare the associations between injury severity, derived from various severity scoring systems, and subsequent nosocomial infections.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: A 750-bed university hospital serving as a medical school and referral center for the southern part of Thailand.