Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence, etiology, and antimicrobial resistance of healthcare-associated infections in a critical care unit in Western Qatar

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in critical patients affect the quality and safety of patient care and increase patient morbidity and mortality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in the incidence of HAIs, particularly device-associated infections (DAIs), was reported worldwide. In this study, we aimed to estimate the incidence of HAIs in an intensive care unit (ICU) during a 10-year period and compare HAI incidence during the preCOVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.Methods: A retrospective, observational study of HAIs in the medical–surgical ICU at The Cuban Hospital was conducted. DAIs included central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Data included the annual incidence of HAIs, etiology, and antimicrobial resistance, using definitions provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, except for other respiratory tract infections (RTIs).Results: 155 patients with HAI infections were reported, from which 130 (85.5%) were identified during the COVID-19 period. The frequencies of DAIs and non-DAIs were higher during the COVID-19 period, except for Clostridium difficile infections. Species under Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas dominated in both periods, and higher frequencies of Acinetobacter, Enterococcus, Candida, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and Stenotrophoma maltophila were noted during COVID-19 period. Device utilization ratio increased to 10.7% for central lines and 12.9% for ventilators, while a reduction of 15% in urinary catheter utilization ratio was observed. DAI incidence was higher during the COVID-19 pandemic, with risks for CLABSI, VAP, and CAUTI increased by 2.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.93–11.21; p < 0.0050), 15.31 (2.53–625.48), and 3.25 (0.68–31.08), respectively.Conclusion: The incidence of DAIs increased during the pandemic period, with limited evidence of antimicrobial resistance observed. The infection control program should evaluate strategies to minimize the impact of the pandemic on HAIs.