Dr Lau Lee Sung
Intensive Care Unit, United Christian Hospital (December 2001 Critical Care Medicine Exit Assessment Exercise)
The patients in Intensive Care Unit are particularly at risk of infection. Nosocomial infection is
associated with increased morbidity and mortality as well as increased hospital stay and
economic costs. A survey study was performed on September 12, 2001 to determine the
prevalence of infection in adult Intensive Care Units in Hong Kong. It examined the rates and
potential risk-factors of ICU-acquired infection, the pattern of antibiotic prescription, and the
nature of predominant microbes and their resistance patterns. This information together with
literature review provides the basis for this overview of nosocomial infection which looks at
selected aspects of pathogenesis, selected nosocomial pathogens, and antibiotic prescriptions.