AN INSIGHT ON EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HOSPITAL ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA IN A REFERENCE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF THE SAURASHTRA KUTCH AREA.

HAP is the most common HAI, accounting for 22% of total HAIs & leading cause of morbidity & mortality. The rates are even higher in tertiary care hospitals and in developing countries like India. As incidence of HAP is not uniform and affected by several factors, study was conducted to survey the epidemiology of HAP in a reference tertiary care hospital of area. 2628 respiratory samples from suspected patients were studied. Out of 2628, 42.80% had shown growth of microorganisms, which were screened as per the CDC’s criteria & 9.42% patients have diagnosed to have HAP. 15% developed NV-HAP & 83% developed VAP (19% Early & 81% late onset). Average HAP rate was 1.82 cases / 1000 admissions and developed within an average of 11 ± 8 days. Mean age of incidence was 50 ± 17 years with >50% cases occurring between 40–70 years of age & showing predominance in males (75%). 98% of isolates were gram negative bacilli. A. baumannii was the most common isolate recovered followed by K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa . Hence, epidemiology of local clinical care setting is very helpful to initiate proper therapeutic and preventive measures.