Intrahospitalary infections also known as nosocomial infections, are those that the patient catch when entering to the medical center. They are a public health problem in the national and world scale, because they are associated to an increment of mortality, morbidity and medical expenses for patients, their families and society. A retrospective, descriptive study has been made in San Rafael de Alajuela Hospital during the year 2002, where the incidence of intrahospitalary infections has been determined. The presence of the infection was determinate following the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the definition of intrahospitalary infections. The incidence has resulted in a 4,95%. The medical services especially affected have been the ones of Medicine (67%), followed by Surgery (18%) and Gynecology (15%).

Intrahospitalary infections; incidence; hospitalary stay