Study of factors associated with operating wound infections at the Ouidah Zone Hospital, Benin

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Nosocomial infections represent a real public health problem. The objective of this study was to determine the main risk factors associated with infections of surgical wounds at the Ouidah zone hospital from 2006 to 2007. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study. Logistic regression was performed to study risk factors for surgical wound infection. RESULTS: A total of 521 files were processed between 2006 and 2007. The median age of the operated was 26 years with a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 90 years. 54.7% of those operated on were hospitalized in the Gyneco-obstetrics department. The sex ratio was 2 Women for a Man. The prevalence of infection was 22.8%. The risk of developing surgical wound infection is higher in patients over 60 years of age (OR = 3.61; 95% CI = [1.66 - 7.84]). This risk is higher (OR = 10.78; 95% CI = [5.33 - 21.79]) in those operated on who spent more than one week in multivariate analysis. The qualitative analysis showed factors depending on the patients, the staff and the organization of the services. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of surgical wound infection was 22.8%. The main associated risk factors were: the duration of the surgical procedure, the length of hospitalization, the rate of the dressing and the class of antibiotic used during the operation.

KEY WORDS: Prevalence, Surgical wound infection, associated factors.