Prevalence of bacterial infections among hospitalized patients with malignancies

Maryam  Barati; Mohamad Hossein  Khoshhal; Soheil  Hassanipour; Tofigh  Yaghubi Kalurazi

doi:10.66224/jcbior.7.1.351

Authors

Maryam Barati Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mohamad Hossein Khoshhal Razi Clinical Research Development Unit, Razi Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
Soheil Hassanipour Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
Tofigh Yaghubi Kalurazi Razi Clinical Research Development Unit, Razi Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6042-2331

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66224/jcbior.7.1.351

Keywords:

Malignancy, Nosocomial infection, Bacterial infection, Escherichia coli, Hospital mortality

Abstract

Hospital-acquired bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with malignancies due to underlying immunosuppression and frequent exposure to invasive procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the types of infection and clinical outcomes of hospitalized cancer patients with nosocomial infections. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 19 hospitalized patients with malignancies at Razi Educational and Medical Center, Rasht, Iran, between 2021 and 2023. Demographic, clinical data, and patients’ outcomes were recorded. The mean age was 48.31 ± 18.14 years. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the most common infection (57.9%), followed by bloodstream infection (26.3%). Escherichia coli was the predominant pathogen (52.6%). The mean time to infection onset was 8.21 ± 11.17 days, and the mean length of hospitalization was 16.84 ± 12.61 days. Overall in-hospital mortality was 42.1%. Among deceased patients, UTI (62.5%) and E. coli (62.5%) were most frequent. Nosocomial bacterial infections, particularly UTIs caused by E. coli, are common among hospitalized cancer patients and are associated with considerable mortality. Continuous surveillance and targeted infection control strategies are essential in oncology settings.

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