Trends in nosocomial infections in an oncology center, 1986-1996.

Objective. To describe the results of ten years of nosocomial infection (NI ) surveillance in an oncology center. Material and methods. This is a descr iptive study of the Infection Control and Surveillance Program Committee at the Institute Nacional de Cancerologia, conducted in 1997. From June 1986 to December 1996, we surveyed 62 733 hospital discharge records. Criteria u sed to classify nosocomial infections were those outlined in 1972 by the Ce nters for Disease Control and Prevention,Atlanta (GA). Survey data were col lected through review of microbiology chart records and of hospital chart r ecords of febrile patients, patients receiving antibiotics, and patients vi sited after surgery. We calculated the rates of NI as the number of infecti ons/100 discharges. Results. The rate of NI per 100 discharges was 4.4 in 1 986, 7.7 in 1987, 8.1 in 1988, 5.9 in 1989, 4.6 in 1990, 5.1 in 1991, 4.3 i n 1992, 5.4 in 1993, 7.6 in 1994, 7.1 in 1995 and 8.5 in 1996. Escherichia coli was the microorganism most frequently isolated. From 1987, an increase of almost seven times in fungi isolations as well as enterococci was obser ved. Conclusions. An increasing trend in NI rates was observed in the last four years, probably related to multiple factors such as improved surveilla nce (better reporting) and a real increase in the frequency of NI.