ORGANISMS CAUSING VENTILATOR ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS OF HEAD TRAUMA- A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the infection of the pulmonary parenchyma with onset after 48–72 hours of endotracheal intubation. VAP increases hospital stay and extra cost of the patient. It also increases mortality In Paediatrics and neonatology, the frequency of VAP is 3–19%, with a mortality rate ranging from 10 to 20% of patients. The aim of this study is to determine the commonest bacterial species in children who are mechanically ventilated for indication of head trauma in tertiary care teaching hospital having facility of NICU and PICU. The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. It was an observational study of 3 months. the patients, who had a new pulmonary inltration, satised 2 or more conditions among the cases of body temperature 38.3oC or higher, purulent bronchial secretions, and a leukopenia or leukocytosis (＜5,000 or ＞10,000 mm3), they were diagnosed with pneumonia. Specimens were collected from all patients with ET tip culture. Once the specimens were obtained, the sample was sent for gram stain, culture and sensitivity. Total of 50 patients were included in the study. 20 patients were below age of one year, 16 patients were in the age group of 1-10 years while 14 were above 10 years of age. Acinetobacter baumannii, klebsiella pneumoniae and candida species were found in patients. Mixed infection was also seen in 1/4th of the patients enrolled. Knowledge of risk factors for VAP may be useful in implementing simple and effective preventive measures. As mixed infection is on the rise, routine hygiene of respiratory tract and endotracheal tube with complete asepsis is required to reduce the VAP