OBJECTIVE: To find the incidence and etiological agents of nosocomial infection in those patients admitted in Intensive Medical Care Unit in tertiary care hospital.

METHODS:This was a hospital based prospective study done over 200 patients.

RESULTS:The age of patients admitted in Intensive Medical Care Unit (IMCU) was between 13 years and 85 years. Most patients were above 40 years of age (63%). The most common age group was between 40 to 50 years (22.5%) and it was equally distributed between male and female.The incidence of nosocomial infection in this study is 8%. The commonest infection was urinary tract infection followed by respiratory tract infection and blood stream infection. Klebsiella was the most common organism followed by Escherichia coli and pseudomonas aeruginosa. Urinary tract infection was caused mostly by klebsiella, Escherichia coli and pseudomonas. Respiratory infection was caused by klebsiella and pseudomonas. Blood stream infection was caused by klebsiella. Out of 16 patients with nosocomial infection 4 had diabetes mellitus (25%).Urinary tract infection was seen in 2 diabetics (18%) and 9 non–diabetics (8%). Out of the 4 patients with respiratory infection one was a diabetic (25%). Blood stream infection was seen in only one patient who was diabetic.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of nosocomial infection in patients admitted in IMCU was 8% in the study population and the commonest infection was urinary tract infection followed by respiratory tract infection and blood stream infection.Gram negative bacteria especially klebsiella was the predominant organism.All patients who had nosocomial infection were above 40 years.Old age patients were more susceptible than young patients and found no significant difference in incidence between male and female patients.