Infectious Diseases and HIV Conference

Nosocomial infections also abbreviated as hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are defined as the infections acquired by a patient during their stay in a health care facility that include hospitals, nursing homes, or outpatient clinics.

Such infections may be acquired during medical or surgical procedures, surgeries, or through the use of invasive devices. Nosocomial infections have been linked to posing a major public health challenge having affected millions of patients worldwide and resulted in increased morbidity and mortality, coupled with healthcare cost.

Types of Nosocomial Infections ,Nosocomial infections can present in many guises, including the following: Surgical Site Infections (SSIs): infections following a surgical intervention, an indicator of introduced bacteria during the surgery, which can cause redness, swelling, pain, and discharge at the site where the surgery occurred.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): often catheter associated and generally a common infection seen in hospitalized patients. Symptoms include frequent urination, a burning sensation in passing urine, and fever. Bloodstream Infections (BSIs): Often known as CLABSIs, this is infections in the blood acquired through entry through intravenous lines.

Symptoms which may appear with the infection include fever, chills, and an elevated heart rate. Pneumonia: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is pneumonia associated with patients who have been mechanically ventilated. This usually occurs when bacteria enter the lungs from impaired swallowing or breathing tubes.

Nosocomial infections are mostly caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites in the health care environment. The most common pathogens include Staphylococcus auras, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficult, and multi-resistant organisms such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus auras (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).Risk Factors for Nosocomial Infections.

These comprise of: Longer stays in the hospital, Invasive procedures, examples of which include surgeries, catheterizations, Underlying medical conditions that would compromise the host immune system, Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, an activity that would disrupt the normal flora, Prevention Strategies,Multi-modes approach to preventing nosocomial infections include: Hand Hygiene: This is the need for proper hand washing of healthcare workers, patients, and visitors in preventing infection from being transmitted through hands.

Sterilization and Disinfection: Proper cleaning and sterilization of such medical instruments and surfaces that will prevent lots of pathogen transmission. Antibiotic Stewardship: Establishing standards in antibiotics use appropriately to minimize antibiotic resistance. Infection control protocols: Those care guidelines which are prescribed to curb the spreading of infections include isolation practices for infected patients. Nosocomial infections are generally of great concern in the healthcare setting.

They impact the effectiveness of treatment and inflate costs directly related to health care services. Effective prevention and control measures using education and training of health-care professionals further help reduce incidence, ensure safer care for patients, and improved health outcomes among hospitalized patients.

A better approach to understanding antibiotic resistance is required for successful strategies in infection prevention and, indeed good health outcomes among patients hospitalized.