Prevalence and associated factors of healthcare associated infections in Habib Bourguiba university hospital, Sfax, Tunisia, 2024

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Published Jun 1, 2025
https://doi.org/10.62438/tunismed.v103i6.5697
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Vol. 103 No. 6 (2025): Tunis Med June 2025

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Emna Mziou
Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2682-406X
Maroua Trigui
Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7741-7950
Zeineb Mallek
Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
Mondher Kasiis
Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.

Abstract

Introduction-Aim: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a major public health issue due to significant related morbidity, mortality and increased costs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HCAI in a Tunisian university hospital in 2024 and to determine its associated factors.


Methods: A point-prevalence study was conducted from 10th to 22nd of June 2024 in Habib-Bourguiba hospital in Sfax-Tunisia. It included all patients hospitalised for a minimum of 48 hours.


Results: Of 227 patients, 40 patients had at least one HCAIs, giving a HCAIs prevalence of 17.6% (95%CI 12.8-22.5). The HCAIs prevalence was 46.7% (95%CI 29.2-65.4)   in ICU (Intensive care units) versus 13.9% (95%CI 8.9-19.6) in non-ICU.


Urinary tract infections (40.6%) were the most common, followed by respiratory tract infections and surgical site infections (both 17.4%). The main identified microorganisms among HCAIs were Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (19.3%), Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Proteus Mirabilis (both 14.8%).


Factors independently associated with having at least one HCAI were admission in ICU (aOR=5.7, 95%CI: 2.4-13.3), obesity (aOR = 4.2, 95%CI: 1.5-12.1), age 60 years and older (aOR=2.7, 95%CI: 1.1-7.4), antibiotic use in the past six months (aOR = 2.5, 95%CI: 1.1-5.7), and the number of days of peripheral venous catheter (aOR = 1.6, 95%CI: 1.1-2.5).


Conclusion: Our study fills a critical gap in the literature on the national and regional levels. It revealed a high prevalence of HCAI in Habib-Bourguiba Hospital compared to similar studies in other regions. We, therefore, recommend setting up operational hospital hygiene programmes for healthcare ..(abstract truncated at 250 words)

Keywords:

Healthcare associated infections, Surveillance, Infection Prevention

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Emna Mziou, Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.

Dr. Emna Mziou Médecine Préventive et Communautaire
Service d'hygiène hospitalière - CHU Habib Bourguiba Sfax Faculté de médecine de Sfax, Tunisie  MediPIET Graduate European Center of Disease Prevention and control, Cohort 2022. ORCID: 0000-0003-2682-406X
Email: dremnamziou@gmail.com Telephone: +21622208368

Maroua Trigui, Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.

Dr. Maroua Trigui

University Assistant Professor in Preventive and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Tunisia Hospital Assistant Professor in the Hygiene Department, Member of the IPC Team, Member of the Quality and Risk Management Unit, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia 2nd Year PhD Student in Public Health, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax E-mail: trigui_maroua@medecinesfax.org

ORCID: 0000-0002-7741-7950 

Zeineb Mallek, Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.

Zeineb Mallek, Résident en Médecine préventive et communautaire

Mondher Kasiis, Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.

Pr Mondher Kassis, 

Head of Hospital hygiene department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital Sfax

Preventive and community medicine

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