BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nosocomial infection represents a challenge in clinical practice involving hospitalized patients, as they considerably extend the hospitalization period and morbidity and mortality rates and, at the same time, increase hospital costs. Given their clinical conditions, which require invasive procedures and antimicrobial treatment, hospitalized patients, especially at the Intensive Care Unit, are particularly susceptible to hospital infection. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of multiresistant bacteria in patients hospitalized at the Intensive Care Unit of a Brazilian emergency hospital. METHODS: Our retrospective study was approved by the Ethics Committee and considered the period between October 2003 and September 2004. A database was developed through variable coding and double entry, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 10.0, was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Multiresistant bacteria were identified in 68 patients, 47 (69.1%) of whom were men, with 55 years as the mean age. All patients were submitted to endotracheal intubation and central venipuncture. The most frequent bacteria were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp. (36.4%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (19%). Cephalosporin was the most frequently used (21.4%) antimicrobial agent. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge on infection occurrence provokes reflections on multiresistance, directs educative actions and favors interventions to prevent and control problem situations.
cross infection; drug resistance bacterial; Intensive Care Units
