Risk factors and preventive countermeasures for nosocomial infections in elderly patients

OBJECTIVE To study the risk factors of hospital infection in senile patients and discus the preventive measures. METHODS The retrospective survey method was employed,the clinical data,including primary diseases,hospital stay,involved invasive treatments,infection physical sign and bacterial culture of senile patients collected from Dec 2008 to Nov 2010 was classified to performed statistical analysis. RESULTS Of forty two patients,59 case-times hospital infections had occurred in 186 senile patients and the infection rate was 22.6%,the case-time infection rate was 31.7%.Respiratory tract and urethra were the common infection sites and accounted for 40.7% and 30.5%,respectively.Gram-negative bacilli were the main pathogens and accounted for 50.8%,Gram-positive cocci and fungi accounted for 27.0% and 22.2%.Senility,long hospital stay,invasive treatment accepted and primary diseases were the risk factors of hospital infection. CONCLUSION Senile patients are high-risk group of hospital infection.We need to know the risk factors and perform some preventive measures such as strict sterile operation,better treatment for primary diseases and reducing unnecessary invasive treatment to reduce hospital infections in senile patients.