Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of healthcare-associated infection in neonates with different gestational ages and birth weights

Abstract:

Objective To understand the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in neonates with different gestational ages and birth weights, and provide guidance for personalized cli-nical diagnosis and treatment. Methods According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 240 neonates with HAI in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a hospital in Handan City from January 2018 to December 2022 were selected as the study group, 720 neonates without HAI were selected as the control group based on systematic sampling method with a ratio of 1 ∶3. The incidence of HAI , distribution characteristics of infection site, pathogenic features of HAI, as well as the effect of different delivery modes on HAI in neonates with different gestational ages and birth weights were analyzed. Results Neonates with gestational age <28 weeks and birth weight <1 000 g had the highest incidence of HAI, which were 19.48% and 20.41%, respectively. Among neonates with gestational age <28 weeks, unidentified site infection were the most (37.50%), while in all gestational age groups within 28-36⁺⁶ weeks, bloodstream infection (BSI) and respiratory system infection were predominant. For neonates with gestational age ≥37 weeks, BSI and unidentified site infection occurred frequently. Among neonates in all weight groups, BSI was the most frequent, followed by respiratory system infection. Pathogens from different sites of infections in neonates with different gestational ages and birth weights varied. Among neonates with gestational age of 28-31⁺⁶ weeks and birth weight of 1 000-1 499 g, the constituent of birth modes showed statistically significant difference between neonates with and without HAI (both P<0.05). Conclusion Epidemiological and clinical chara-cteristics of HAI in neonates with different gestational ages and birth weights are different. For the prevention and control of HAI, individualized diagnosis and treatment plans should be developed to achieve precise prevention and control, reduce the incidence of HAI, and improve the overall treatment level of neonates.