Infecciones asociadas a la atención de salud en Latinoamérica

Abstract

At present, Infections Associated with health care are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Latin America, where the disparity of epidemiological information does not allow for an estimate of the global burden of these diseases. Objective: To provide epidemiological information on healthcare-associated infections in Latin America, to assess the impact on public health. Methodology: Descriptive bibliographic review of literature in scientific databases Scopus, Elsevier, ProQuest, Pubmed, CINAHl, VHL; digital pages of Health Organizations, International Epidemiological Surveillance Organizations, and Ministries of Health of the countries in question, selecting a sample of 83 articles. Results: In Latin America, the prevalence of these infections is mainly related to surgical and invasive procedures in intensive care units; the most prevalent are infections of the lower respiratory tract associated with mechanical ventilation, those of surgical wound, of the bloodstream inherent to the central venous catheter and of the urinary tract associated to bladder catheter; whose most prevalent pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (85.78%); Escherichia coli (31%) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (27.27%). Conclusions: Epidemiological monitoring of healthcareassociated infections in Latin America is effective in some countries and deficient in others; a situation that slows down the decline of factors involved in health care. Diagnosis and prevention are based on international criteria adapted to the population, autonomous clinical, and laboratory resources.