HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTION

Hospital-Acquired Infection (HAI)

Hospital acquired infection is an infection that is acquired in a hospital or healthcare facility it is also called as Nosocomial infection .these infections are caught while hospitalised,most of the nosocomial infections are caused due to bacteria. since antibiotics are frequently administered inside hospital these bacteria become resistance to these antibiotics then bacteria outside of hospital. These infections can be serious and  difficult to treat as well.

any infection can be considered as nosocomial infection if these infection are acquired at hospital within 48 hrs of hospitalisation.
                     The most common wards where hospital acquired infections (HAI) occur is the intensive care unit (ICU) where doctors treat serious diseases about 1 in the 10 of the people admitted to a hospital will come in contact a HAI .As medical care become more complex and antibody resistance increases,the cases of HAIs will grow.The good news abt HAIs is it can be prevented in a lot of healthcare situations.

What are the symptoms of Nosocomial infections?

For a hospital acquired infection ,the infection must occour:

• up to 48 hrs after hospitalisation .
• up to 3 days after discharge .
• up to 30 days after an operation.
• in a healthcare facility when someone is admitted for a reason other then infection.

The most common type of HAIs :

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Pneumonia
• Surgical site infection's
• Meninigitis
• Gastroenteritis

Symptoms for these infections are :

• Fever
• Cough,shortness of breathing
• Burning with urination
• Headaches
• Nausea,vomiting
• diahrreah
• Discharge from wounds(PUS)

What are the causes of Nosocomial infections?

Bacteria,fungus and viruses can cause HAIs. Bacteria can alone cause about 90% of these diseases.

Many people have compromised immune systems during their hospital stay so they are more commonly likely to face HAIs.The most common pathogens that causes the HAIs are E.Coli, Staphylococcus.aureus, Pseudomonas.aeruginosa etc

Nosocomial diseases are not only limited to these listed diseases in some instance certain Fungi as candida albicans and aspergillus,as well as some viruses of respiratory tract like Syncytial Virus and Influenza have been noticed in number of HAIs. Bacteria,fungi,and viruses mainly spread by person to person contact.These include unclean hands, hospital equipment's and tools such as catheters,respiratory machines and other commonly used hospital tools.

Who is at the risk of Nosocomial infections?

Anyone who is admitted in a healthcare facility is at high risk of getting HAIs:

• Prolonged ICU stay.
• If the age of patient is above 70.
• Your hospital roommate.
• If you've been in coma.
• If you've experience any shock and trauma.
• Whether you have a urinary catheter.
• Compromised immune system.  

Risk of getting encounter with HAIs increases if you are admitted in ICU area.According to a survey 11%  of patients out of 300 patients acquire HAIs and the risk increases by 10% if there is no proper measures taken for infection control and measures to keep a check on HAIs . 

How are Nosocomial Infections treated?

Treatment for these infections depend on the infection type.Your doctors will likely to recommend antibiotics and bed rest for better recovery and will remove any foreign devices such as catheter and respiratory machines as soon as they feel its medically appropriate.to increase a natural healing process and prevent dehydration doctor will include lots of fluid intake,healthy diet and rest.

Preventing Nosocomial Infections

It is the responsibility of the Healthcare facility or the Hospital to take preventive measures to control HAIs from spreading among the patients who already are suffering with any other life threatening disease .as in maximum of the cases have recorded that the patient after acquiring HAIs become terribly ill and in some-cases it becomes the reason of there death too. Hospital and healthcare staff should follow the recommended guidelines for sterilisation and disinfection.Taking proper steps to prevent HAIs can decrease risk of contacting them by 70% or more.However,u have to accept the fact that due to nature of healthcare facilities,its impossible to eliminate 100% of nosocomial infections.

General measures for Infection Control:

• Screening the ICU to isolate patients suffering from HAIs should be the priority step for infection control.
• Identifying the kind of isolation needed to the patients and others ,which can help protecting patients with further infections like after discharge problems.
• Maintaining Hand hygiene a normal practice among all whoever is coming in contact with patient by before and after practice of using hand-rub fequently making habit of washing hands with medicated balanced pH hand-wash whenever entering the patients area ,this habbit alone can prevent HAIs in 30%.
• Wearing appropriate gear which includes gloves,gowns and face protection.
• Cleaning surfaces properly with  70% Isopropyl Alcohol(IPA) or Ethanol should be used as disinfection.
• Making sure rooms are well ventilated.
• 100% usage of sterile conditions and sterile tools and equipment's should be used and should be serialise once again before the operations are performed.
• Talking to doctors regarding anything related to patients care should be encouraged or keeping a common platform while the period of hospitalisation should be arranged for patients attendant or people involved in taking care of the patients. 

                                                                                                                          BY : RIA PANI