Healthcare-associated infections and the distribution of causative pathogens in patients with diabetes mellitus

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases 2013-06, Vol.32 (6), p.821-825
• Main Authors: Erben, N., Ozgunes, I., Aksit, F., Doyuk Kartal, E., Colak, E., Usluer, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Case-Control Studies; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Diabetes; Diabetes Complications - epidemiology; Diabetes Complications - microbiology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Disease control; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; General aspects; Health care; Hospitals; Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models; Humans; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Intubation; Male; Medical Microbiology; Medical sciences; Microorganisms; Middle Aged; Neutropenia; Nosocomial infections; Ostomy; Pathogens; Patients; Pneumonia; Retrospective Studies; Risk factors; Software; Surgical site infections; Tuberculosis; University faculty; Urinary tract diseases; Urinary tract infections; Urogenital system
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-013-1816-x

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common diseases worldwide, and is a significant risk factor for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Our aim in this study was to compare the distributions of HAIs and the causative pathogens between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. In this study, 716 HAIs in 465 diabetic patients and 761 HAIs in 465 non-diabetic patients were evaluated. HAIs in patients with DM were most frequently urinary tract infections (UTIs) [266 infections (37.2 %)], followed by blood stream infections (BSIs) [161 infections (22.5 %)], surgical site infections (SSIs) [127 infections (17.7 %)], pneumonia [107 infections (14.9 %)] and any other infections [161 infections (22.5 %)]. The rates of UTIs, BSIs, SSIs, pneumonia and any other infections were similar between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. In terms of the causative pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus more frequently caused SSIs and Candida spp more frequently caused UTIs in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic patients. We found no differences in the distribution of HAIs between patients without and with DM. However, S . aureus and Candida spp were more common causative pathogens of SSIs and URTIs, respectively, in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients.