A Prevalence Survey of Nosocomial Infections - Taipei

1986 Vol.2 NO.5

Correspondence Author:

Abstract:

During the period February 5-17, 1986, a survey was conducted at Taipei Veterans’ General Hospital (VGH) to determine the prevalence of nosocomi1 infections and antibiotic use among acute car patients. VGH is a 2,016-bed, modern, teaching hospital which has had an active infection control program staffed by a hospital epidemiologist and five full-time infection control nurses since 1982 The medical records of 1,041 (87%) of 1 .200 patients hospitalized during the survey period were examined by trained revised teams The 48 wards surveyed included all subspecialties. A hospital-acquired infection was defined according to previously published criteria1. Briefly, a patient was considered to have a hospital-acquired infection if there was clinical evidence of infection that was not present or incubating at the time of admission. Infections at specific sites (e.g., urinary or respiratory tract infection) were also defined according to previously published criteria1.