Abstract:
Background:
Central line associated blood stream infections
(CLABSIs) represent a critical yet often overlooked
aspect of healthcare, particularly in settings with limited
resources. Several factors contribute to the heightened
prevalence of CLABSIs, including age, gender,
compromised immune states, and invasive medical
procedures such as catheterization, intubation, and
central line placements, which can elevate the risk of
microbial transmission among patients. Research reveals
that a significant portion of hospitalized patients,
ranging from 5% to 15%, contract CLABSIs, with a
notable percentage, between 9% and 37%, occurring
among those admitted to intensive care units (ICUs).
Broad Objective:
To determine the incidence and risk factors
associated with Central Line Associated Blood Stream
Infections in a private health care setting in Kenya.
Methodology:
A prospective study was conducted in all patients
admitted to the Intensive Care Units showing signs of
infection and meeting the inclusion criteria. Data was
collected from each inpatient and all intensive care units
on weekly basis and analyzed descriptively.
Results:
A total of 19 out of 183 CLABSI incidents were
identified, which is an incidence of 10.38 % of 183
eligible CLABSI cases and CLABSI to be 13.4 per1000
central-line days. Gram-negative organism was higher at
52.6 % than Gram-positive organisms at 42.1 %. The
catheters inserted in the jugular vein 9.3 %(n=7/75) and
Femoral vein 14.2 %( n=1/ 7) are more prone to get
infection than those inserted in the sub-clavian vein 10.8
%( n=11/ 101).The duration of central venous catheter is
also directly proportional to the incidence of infection,
the CVCs > 3-8 days have higher CLABSIs at 57.9%
than those with 8 days of central lines with 42.1%.
Conclusion:
The study showed a high incidence rate of
CLABSIs, raising significant concerns. Infection rates
varied by central line insertion site, with jugular and
femoral veins posing higher risks. Respiratory diseases
were prevalent, suggesting an elevated CLABSI risk for
immunocompromised or chronically ill patients.
Furthermore, 37% of patients had recent antibiotic
exposure, aligning with CDC data linking antibiotics to
CLABSI risk
