Overview of Infectious Diseases in the Internal Medicine Department of the Bouaké University Hospital Center (UHC) (Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

Background: Infection is a public health problem due to is high morbidity and mortality rate worldwide and his economic cost. Data on infection is available at the national level, but less known from the department of internal medicine of Bouaké University Hospital. The objective of our study was to determine the epidemiological aspects and mortality rates of infections in the Internal Medicine Department. Material and Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study over a period of six months, including all patients over the age of 15 with any type of infection. Results: Over a period of six months, 695 patients were hospitalized in the department and 211 of them had infection, representing a prevalence of 30.35%. The average age was 46.67 ± 18.41 years, with a sex ratio of 1.29. Bacterial infections were observed in 64.92% of cases, dominated by sepsis (14.69%). Parasitic infections (13.27%) were dominated by cerebral toxoplasmosis (7.58%) and malaria (5.68%), and viral infections (21.32%) were dominated by chronic viral hepatitis discovered at the complication stage (16.58%). There was no history of disease and/or comorbidities in 77.72% of cases. The outcome was favorable in 45.50% of cases and death was observed in 26.54% of cases. Mortality fell from 33.04% in the first quarter to 18.75% in the second quarter of the year, with a statistically significant difference. Conclusion : The prevalence of infections is high in the internal medicine department. They are dominated by sepsis and are responsible for high mortality with early death, particularly in the elderly.