Incidence of nosocomial infections in an intensive care unit: a three-year prospective study including 815 patients.

We report the results of a prospective study on the incidence of nosocomial infections, including 815 patients admitted in an intensive care unit, in the Lyon Edouard Herriot Hospital, from 1995 to 1997. We noted an incidence rate of 29.2 nosocomial infections per 1,000 patient days: 14.5 respiratory tract infections/1,000 ventilator days; 11.6 urinary tract infections/1, 000 indwelling urinary catheter days; 4.8 bacteremia/1,000 patient days; 2,2 colonization of central venous or arterial catheters/1,000 catheter days. The most important result was the lower incidence of UTI during these 3 years. This epidemiological survey should be continued in order to reduce the rates of other nosocomial infections and to obtain quality markers. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.