Hospital acquired infection can be described as any disease acquired by patients under medical care or an infection acquired by patient during hospital stay. It occurs up to 48 hours after hospital admission. It can cause by any organisms like bacteria, virus, and fungus. The National Healthcare Safety Network with Center for Disease Control (CDC) for surveillance has classified hospital acquired infection into 13 types, with 50 infection sites. The common site of infection includes urinary tract infection, surgical and soft tissue infection, meningitis, and respiratory tract infection.
Route of transmission
The most common route of hospital acquired infection is through contact where organisms’ transmission occurs with direct or indirect contact. Droplet transmission can cause from respiratory tract by large droplets, such as influenza. Airborne transmission usually occurs from respiratory tract by small air droplets such as measles, tuberculosis and SARS virus.
Example of hospital acquired infection
Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs): The catheter is place in a large vein to provide food, medication, and to draw blood for routine blood test in Intensive care units. The central line veins have access to major veins close to heart. If microorganisms enter through the catheter to central vein, it may cause fever and red skin or soreness around central line in the patients. CDC suggest to avoid touching the tubing and encourage patients to speak up with health care provider that what prevention measure are taken by healthcare provider to prevent CLABSIs.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI): This is the most common hospital acquired infections in health care if patient having prolonged use of urinary catheter. Microorganism enters through catheter to urinary tract causing Urinary tract infection (UTI). The burning sensation in lower abdomen or while peeing are main symptoms of UTI. The infection can happen any party of urinary system-like bladder, kidney or ureter. This kind of infections are preventable and can be treated with an antibiotic.
Surgical site infections (SSI): This occurs at the site of body part where surgery is done. The infection can occur in skin, tissue, organ, or at the place where implants like knee, steel rod is placed inside the body. It is important to understand how to take care of your wound in post-surgery and must not touch your wound with dirty hand. SSI is treated with antibiotics. In worst case if the infection is deep, patient might need re-surgery to treat SSI.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP): This infection develops in the patient who is in ventilator. The infections develop in the lung when bacteria enter into patient lungs. This can be treated with antibiotics
In conclusion, hospital acquired infections are common in healthcare with high morbidity and mortality. Both patients and health care worker awareness play a vital part to minimize the infection rate. Nurses play crucial role to prevent the transmission of infectious microorganism to the patient as they are in the front line while treating patients. Center of Disease Control has infection control guideline and recommendation to prevent hospital acquired infections.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/about/index.html
