Retrospective Evaluation of Nosocomial Bacterial Infections and Their Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns Among Hospitalized Patients in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Background

Nosocomial infection constitutes a significant public health challenge globally, with resource-limited countries bearing the greatest burden. Sadly, the emergence of drug-resistant strains of these pathogens have worsened the already precarious situation.

Methods

This study aimed to determine the incidence of nosocomial infections, the causative agents, and their antimicrobial susceptibilities among patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. The study included patients who had positive cultures 48 hours after admission. Abstracted data include the patient’s demographic, infection outcome, the agents involved, and the site of infection.

Results

A total of 330 patients were found to have acquired nosocomial infection, comprising 100 (30%) patients from the ICU department. The median age for the patients in this study was 36 years. Patients who died of all-cause mortality were older than those discharged. Most of the bacteria were collected from sepsis/bloodstream infections (34%) dominated by Staphylococcus aureus (42.1%), Acinetobacter baumannii (14.0%), Escherichia coli (14.0%), and Klebsiella spp. (7.0%). Urinary tract infections were mainly associated with Escherichia coli (37.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (18.8%), and Klebsiella spp. 50% of all microorganisms were multidrug-resistant.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggested that hospital infection control and prevention strategies need to be strengthened to improve the quality of care among hospitalized patients.

Keywords:

• healthcare-associated infections
• multi-drug resistant
• infectious diseases
• Somalia
• nosocomial infection

Data Sharing Statement

All data related to the study is contained within this manuscript.

Ethics Approval

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Somali-Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital (17.05.2021-MSTH/6199). Database management complies with legislation on privacy, and this research followed the ethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration. Also, written informed consent was obtained from each participant or their parents indicating their willingness to participate in the study.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study did not receive any financial support from any individual or organization.