Nosocomial infection, a global public health
problem, particularly caused by multi-drug resistant
bacteria, increases morbidity, mortality, duration of
hospitalization, health care costs, and work load of
public health personnel(1,2). The increased survival of
immunocompromised patients, more use of invasive
devices and misuse of antimicrobial agents contribute
to antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens
causing nosocomial infections. Ignorance of infectious
control practices increases the transmission of resistant
organisms(3).
Although there were previous studies of
nosocomial infections and their antimicrobial susceptibility
patterns(4-12), the distribution of pathogens and
antimicrobial sensitivity change with time and vary
among hospitals(13). The objectives of the present
study were to determine and compare the bacterial
pathogens causing nosocomial infections and their
susceptibility patterns in children at BMA Medical
College and Vajira Hospital, the tertiary hospital,
between 2000-2002 and 2003-2005