Nosocomial Infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Neonates, especially prematures, requiring care in Intensive Care Unit are a highly vulnerable population group at increased risk for nosocomial infections. In recent decades become one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Aim: Highlighting the severity of nosocomial infections for hospitalized infants and the imprinting of risk factors that affects their development. Material-Methods: Searched for studies published in international scientific journals during the period 2004-2013. As a main tool of retraction of bibliography was used the internet. Specific web sites and library databases: PubMed, Cinahl and Google scholar with key-words: "prevent nosocomial infections", "infection control", "neonatal care", "nursing care prematurity", "neonates nosocomial infections", "neonatal intensive care unit" (NICU). Methodology was applied thematic content analysis, which provides a careful reading of the material and recording the recurring risk factors Neonatal Neonatal Unit. Results: All researchers agree that nosocomial infections of hospitalized infants are a result of interaction of intrinsic and extrinsic factors risk. The intrinsic factors predisposing to infection is the immaturity of the immune system, the barriers of the skin and mucous membranes. Furthermore, multiple external factors contribute to the development of infection, such as low birth weight, underlying disease, broad-spectrum antibiotics, prolonged hospitalization, invasive techniques, parenteral nutrition, numerical insufficiency of staff, and poor compliance with medical professionals on hand hygiene. In recent years, the use of protocols and guidelines for each intervention in newborns has dramatically reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections. Conclusions: Nosocomial infections constitute serious threat to the population of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Surveillance of infections and the use of protocols will help control and prevent them.

Keywords: Nosocomial infections, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, risk factors, premature