Surveillance of surgical site infections: Decade of experience at a Colombian tertiary care center

Cesar A. Arias, Gustavo Quintero, Blanca E. Vanegas, Clara Luz Rico, Jose Felix Patifio

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

A protocol for surveillance of surgical site infections (SSIs) was established in a tertiary care center in 1991 in Bogota, Colombia and followed for 10 years. Wounds were classified according to the Centers for Disease Control guidelines. The National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance and Study of the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control scores for risk factors were included from June 1999. A total of 33,027 surgical procedures were followed by the surveillance team. The overall infection rate was 2.6%. Most surgical procedures (70.6%) were classified as clean; 25.3%, 3.8%, and 0.26% were classified as clean/contaminated, contaminated, and dirty, respectively. Infection rates according to wound classification were 1.28%, 3.9%, 15.4%, and 38.4% for clean, clean/contaminated, contaminated, and dirty procedures, respectively. Escherichia coli and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequently isolated microorganisms from SSI: 23.9% and 22.8% of isolates, respectively. A program of surveillance of SSIs has been successfully implemented in a country with limited resources and has maintained the infection rate within international standards.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)529-533
Number of pages5
JournalWorld Journal of Surgery
Volume27
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2003

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery

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