Lecture 10. Nosocomial and Community Infections Flashcards
What are nosocomial or healthcare associated infections (HCAI)?
Defined as an infection developing in a patient as a result of healthcare contact, and had no signs of infection within first 48 hrs of admission
What are non-nosocomial or community acquired infections (CAI)
Defined as an infection acquired outside the healthcare setting. When in hospital this includes infections diagnosed within 48 hours of admission
What percentage of hospitalised patients in developed countries acquire a HCAI?
7%
What percentage of hospitalised patients in developing countries acquire a HCAI?
10%
What are the 5 main types of nosocomial infections?
Central line associated bloodstream infections
Catheter associated urinary tract infections (UTI)
Nosocomial pneumonia – inc. ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) - Covid-19
Surgical site infections (SSI)
Gastrointestinal infection
What are examples of nosocomial bacterial pathogens?
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- Klebsiella spp.
- Enterococcus spp.
- Escherichia coli
- Clostridium difficile
What are examples of nosocomial viral pathogens?
Covid-19 and Norovirus
What are the environmental risk factors for nosocomial infections?
Poor hygienic conditions and inadequate waste disposal from health care settings
Covid - Building design, ventilation, overcrowding, short staffed and overwhelmed clinical teams, and a lack of testing and PPE in those early months
What are the risk factors for nosocomial infections associated with susceptibility?
Immunosuppression, underlying health, age, use of medical devices, drug treatment, pain management, length of stay etc
What are the risk factors for nosocomial infections associated with unawareness?
Improper use of injection techniques, poor knowledge of basic infection control measures, inappropriate use of invasive devices (catheters) and lack of control policies
What are the goals of the Health Security Agency (HSA)?
Management of HCAI (preventing and reducing rates of HCAI and infection prevention and control, using evidence-based interventions)
Surveillance programmes are an important part of this, as they provide essential information on what and where the problems are and how well control measures are working
What is clostridium difficile responsible for?
A variety of gastrointestinal manifestations ranging from asymptomatic carriage to mild diarrhoea, pseudomembranous colitis, and, very rarely bowel perforation and death
How is clostridium difficile transmitted?
Faeco-oral
What are the risk factors for clostridium difficile infections (CDI)?
Antibiotics (significant risk: fluoroquinalones & cephalosporins, no associated risk: tetracyclins)
Gastric acid suppressants (proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) appear to be associated and links to disruption of microbiota (dysbiosis))
Co-morbidities (strong link to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other associations with chronic kidney disease, immunodeficiency and solid organ transplants)
How can C. diff be treated and controlled?
Diagnosis
Specific antibiotic treatment
Isolation
Hand hygiene
PPE – gloves and apron
Bleach cleaning