AUTHOR=Huang Huifang , Wu Kunhai , Chen Haiming , Wang Jing , Chen Lufei , Lai Zhirun , Lin Shuling 

TITLE=The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nosocomial infections: a retrospective analysis in a tertiary maternal and child healthcare hospital

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1132323

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1132323

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>The constant changes in the control strategies of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have greatly affected the prevention and control of nosocomial infections (NIs). This study assessed the impact of these control strategies on the surveillance of NIs in a regional maternity hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>This retrospective study compared the observation indicators of nosocomial infections and their changing trends in the hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>In total, 2,56,092 patients were admitted to the hospital during the study. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the main drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals were <italic>Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae</italic>, and Enterococcus <italic>faecalis</italic>. The detection rate of <italic>S. agalactiae</italic> increased annually, while that of <italic>E. faecalis</italic> remained the same. The detection rate of multidrug-resistant bacteria decreased during the pandemic (16.86 vs. 11.42%), especially that of CRKP (carbapenem-resistant <italic>Klebsiella pneumoniae</italic> 13.14 vs. 4.39, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). The incidence of nosocomial infections in the pediatric surgery department decreased significantly (OR: 2.031, 95% CI: 1.405–2.934, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001). Regarding the source of infection, a significant reduction was observed in respiratory infections, followed by gastrointestinal infections. In the routine monitoring of the ICU, the incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) decreased significantly (9.4/1,000 catheter days vs. 2.2/1,000 catheter days, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The incidence of nosocomial infections was lower than that before the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the number of nosocomial infections, especially respiratory, gastrointestinal, and catheter-related infections.</p></sec>