World Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2015, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1-6 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/jpm/3/1/1 © Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/jpm-3-1-1 Knowledge of Healthcare Workers on Nosocomial Infection in Selected Secondary Health Institutions in Zaria, Nigeria Samaila Ayuba Balarabe 1,* , Istifanus Anekoson Joshua 2 , Aliyu Danjuma 1 , Mohammed Usman Dauda 3 , Omoniyi Oluwafemi Sunday 4 , Haruna Danlami Yusuf 3 1 Department of Nursing Services, Ahmadu BelloUniversity Teaching Hospital Shika-Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria 2 Department of Community Medicine, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria 3 University Health Services,Ahmadu Bello University Samaru Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria 4 Department of Nursing Services, Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria *Corresponding author: balarabeayubas@gmail.com Received January 22, 2015; Revised February 04, 2015; Accepted February 08, 2015 Abstract Background: Nosocomial infection is one of the leading causes of death and increased morbidity for hospitalized Patients. The study assessed the knowledge of healthcare workers on nosocomial infections in secondary health institutions in Zaria local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Materials andMethods: This study wasa cross-sectional descriptive survey carried out in October, 2010. One hundred and sixty(160) self- administered semi structured questionnaire was used for the studyand data analyzed using SPSS window 16.0 version. Results: The findings showed most of the respondents were within the age bracket of 20–29 years, mean age of 34 ± 12 years and age range of 20-60years. 62.2% were female and 66.9% were nurses by profession followed by pharmacist with 13.1%. The respondents mean working experience was10 ± 9 years. Majority (57.5%) of the respondents were aware of nosocomial infections as an infection that manifests after 48 hours of hospital admission. 76.9% (123) of the respondents were of the opinion that bacteria are the common cause of nosocomial infections. 38.8% of the respondents were of the opinion that contact transmission, airborne transmission. Vehicle transmission and vector transmission are the common routes of nosocomial infections. 46.9% of the respondents were of the opinion that the best ways to prevent nosocomial infections are strict aseptic technique, proper isolation and barrier nursing of infectious cases, regular nasal and throat swab investigations of health care workers and education of health workers on the prevention and control of the infection. Conclusion: The recommendations included emphasis on regular in-service training programme for staff, the practice of universal precaution and screening of hospital staff to identify those that are chronic nasal carriers of Staphylococcus aureus among others. Keywords: knowledge, healthcare workers, nosocomial infections, Zaria Cite This Article: Samaila Ayuba Balarabe, Istifanus Anekoson Joshua, Aliyu Danjuma, Mohammed Usman Dauda, Omoniyi Oluwafemi Sunday, and Haruna Danlami Yusuf, “Knowledge of Healthcare Workers on Nosocomial Infection in Selected Secondary Health Institutions in Zaria, Nigeria.” World Journal of Preventive Medicine, vol. 3, no. 1 (2015): 1-6. doi: 10.12691/jpm-3-1-1. 1. Introduction A nosocomial (or healthcare-associated) infection is defined as an infection acquired in hospital or other health care facility by a patient in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission [1]. These include infectionsacquired in the hospital but appearing after discharge, andalso occupational infections among staff of the facility [2,3]. These patients are usually admitted for a reason other than that of infection. It has alsobeen defined as infections which are as a result of treatment in a hospital or healthcare unit, but secondary to the patient’s original condition [3].These infections first appear 48hours or more after hospital admission or within 30days after discharge from the hospital. Studies have shown that 6 to 10%of patients admitted to a hospital in the United States acquired a nosocomial infection [3],and it has been estimated by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) that nearly two million patients each year become infected during their hospital stay.Nosocomial infection is one of the leading causes of death and increased morbidity for hospitalized patients [4,5]. The World Health Organization (WHO) established that the rate of nosocomial infections will continue to rise as a result of four factors which include: Crowded hospital conditions, increasing number of people with compromised immune system, new microorganisms and increasing bacterial resistance [6]. Similarly, Toni and Lee identified the following risk factors as the causes of