Hospital-acquired bacterial infections on the rise

“All healthcare establishments should follow basic precautions and practice hand hygiene”

New Delhi, August 4, 2018:

As per a recent Australian study, some hospital superbugs are growing increasingly tolerant to alcohol-based disinfectants found in hand washes and sanitizers, allowing increasing infections to take hold. There has been a rise in a kind of bacteria that lives in the gut, called Enterococcus faeciumwhich can spread via catheters, ventilators or central lines in a health care setting.Drug-resistant E. faecium infections currently represent a leading cause of infections acquired in hospitals.

Enterococci account for about 1 in 10 cases of hospital-acquired bacterial infections around the world. Research suggests that there may be something about the physiology of E. faecium that makes it easier for the bacteria to evolve tolerance to alcohol exposure.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “A hospital-acquired infection (HAI), or nosocomial infection is an infection, which usually occurs 48 hours after admission. It is not related to the original condition and is neither present nor incubating at the time of admission. HAIs are also sometimes called health care–associated infections (HCAIs) to include both hospital and non-hospital settings. HCAIs occur during the process of care in a hospital or other health care facility. They can occur in any type of setting where patients receive care, even after discharge. The most common nosocomial infections include surgical wound infections, respiratory infections, genitourinary infections and gastrointestinal infections.”

Prolonged and inappropriate use of invasive devices and antibiotics, immunosuppression and other severe underlying patient conditions, failure to adhere to standard and isolation precautions are some factors that increase the risk of infection in health-care settings. Another source of pathogens is hospital waste.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Group Editor-in-chief of IJCP, said, “Every patient must be informed about the risk of developing infection during hospital stay. Not doing so may be a ground for malpractice claim since it is unrelated to the patient’s condition which brought him/her to the hospital. Educating them on how to reduce the risk of transmission will also enhance their participation in infection control practices. Every patient and/or relatives need to know that every admission may have up to 10% risk of acquiring a new infection.”

Some tips from HCFI

• Practice hand hygiene.
• Use personal protective equipment appropriately according to risk of body fluid exposure.
• Reprocess re-useable instruments and equipment as appropriate.
• Handle and dispose sharp and potentially infectious material safely.
• Handle waste and linen with care.
• Put environmental control measures including cleaning and spills management in place.
• Make it compulsory to wear disposable gowns, gloves, and eye protection on entry to the patient’s room.