HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS IN THE RUSE REGION AND THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THEM

Abstract

Effective measures to combat healthcare-associated infections are directly dependent on a thorough study of the prerequisites for their occurrence. The purpose of the study is to analyze healthcare-associated infections in the Ruse region of Bulgaria by medical facilities and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on them for 2014-2021. Materials and methods: The study covers the registration of patients who were served and registered healthcare-associated infections sorted by year in all medical facilities (9 units) in the district. The data was collected from the system for epidemiological surveillance of hospitals, and the analysis of the country and Ruse region and the analysis of the Ruse Regional Health Inspectorate. Documentary, statistical, and graphic methods are used. Results and discussion: The data show that the number of patients served in the district in 2014-2021 increased (71,501 people in 2014), with small fluctuations in 2017, among which it fell to the initial level of 71,014 for 2021. There are data on the influence of the population structure and the workload of medical facilities. One of the hospitals - University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment "Kanev" JSC, Ruse accounts for almost half of the patients admitted for treatment. Reported cases of healthcare-associated infections in the region by year show holding at one level, with no sharp fluctuations until 2019. A link has been established between the increasing incidence of COVID-19 and registered healthcare-associated infections in 2020 and 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic affected both healthcare-associated infections prevalence and pathogen profiles. Conclusions: In the initial period from 2014 to 2016, surgical site infections - 49.38% (2014), 33.00% (2015), and 18.35% (2016) were leading in the structure of the health-care-associated infections, followed by respiratory infections 17.93%. (2014), urinary tract infections 13.32 % (2015), 17.23 % (2016). In the years of the pandemic, -2020 leading are lower respiratory tract infections at 27.93% and Pneumonia associated with intubation at 25.74% in 2021.