Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Nosocomial Infection in Hospitalized Children and Adults: A Review

Abstract

Nosocomial infections (NI) or healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are infections not present at the time of admission to a hospital and manifest 48 hours after hospital admission. The specific factors contributing to the risk of infection during hospitalization remain unclear. Nosocomial infections are a growing public health threat that increases patient morbidity and mortality. Nosocomial infections (NIs) could lead to considerably longer length of the hospital stays and higher costs. Besides, the unreasonable use of antibiotics could lead to development resistance to different antibiotics and create limited therapeutic options, increased risks of treatment failure and poor patient management. These infections are a serious public health problem affecting both developed and developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the current status and changing trend of NI in various parts of the world, to provide a reference for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections.