Hospital infection or health care-related infection (IAS) is defined as any infection acquired at the hospital that can still occur during hospitalization or after discharge, provided it is related to hospitalization or hospitalization. procedures performed in the hospital.
Getting an infection in the hospital is not uncommon, as it is an environment in which many people are sick and treated with antibiotics. During the hospital period, some of the main factors that cause infection are:
- Generally.
- The microorganisms responsible for hospital infections do not cause infections in other situations.
- As they take advantage of the environment with few harmless bacteria and the decrease in the patient’s resistance to settle.
- Despite this.
- Hospital bacteria usually develop serious infections that are difficult to treat because they are more resistant to antibiotics.
- So it is usually necessary to use more potent antibiotics to cure this type of infection.
Infections related to the healthcare environment can be classified into certain types according to the microorganism and the form of entry into the body. Therefore, IRAS can be classified into:
It is important that the type of hospital infection be identified so that the hospital’s Infection Control Commission defines the prevention and control of microorganisms in the hospital.
The ISS control is carried out by the Hospital Infection Control Commission (HRC), which is a group of health professionals whose function is to develop the study of the hospital’s epidemiological characteristics and to develop a hospital infection control programme with the aim of minimizing the number of infections acquired in the hospital , as well as the rate of multidrug-resistant microorganisms.
CCIH is suitable according to the characteristics of the hospital and its needs, being the main activities carried out by this committee:
To reduce a hospital’s infection rate, basic care should be provided to all patients, regardless of diagnosis and treatment. In addition, it is important to encourage hospital discharge whenever possible, avoiding staying in the hospital for a long time, as the risk of infection increases over time.
CCIH’s activities are carried out with the main objective of promoting patient safety through measures to reduce the risk of infection of the patient, such as the awareness of accompanying and medical staff of good hand hygiene, as hands are considered the main routes of transmission and contagion by microorganisms. Learn how to wash your hands thoroughly.
Hospital-acquired infections can cause signs and symptoms that vary depending on the microorganism responsible for infection and the pathway to the body. The most common hospital infections are:
Hospital-acquired pneumonia is generally severe and more common in people bedridden, unconscious or difficulty swallowing, due to the risk of sucking on food or saliva. In addition, people who use respiratory aids are more likely to develop an infection acquired in the hospital.
Common bacteria in this type of pneumonia are Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Legionella sp., In addition to certain types of viruses and fungi.
Main symptoms: The main symptoms associated with hospital-acquired pneumonia are chest pain, cough with yellowish or bloody discharge, fever, fatigue, lack of appetite and shortness of breath.
Urinary tract infection in the hospital is facilitated by using a tube during the hospital stay, although anyone can develop it. Some of the bacteria most involved in this situation are Escherichia coli, Proteus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Enterococcus faecalis and fungi, such as Candida sp.
Main symptoms: A urinary tract infection can be identified by pain or burning sensation when urinating, abdominal pain, the presence of blood in the urine and fever.
Skin infections are very common due to venous injections and access to medications or test samples, surgical or biopsy scarring, or scarring. Some of the microorganisms involved in this type of infection are Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, Klebsiella sp., Proteus sp., Enterobacter sp, Serratia sp., Streptococcus sp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis, for example.
Main symptoms: In case of skin infection, there may be an area of redness and swelling in the area, with or without blisters. Usually, the site is painful and hot, and there may be a purulent and smelly secretion.
Infection of the bloodstream is called sepsis and usually occurs after an infection in one part of the body, which spreads through the bloodstream. This type of infection is severe and, if left untreated quickly, can quickly lead to organ failure and risk of death. All infectious microorganisms can spread in the blood, and some of the most common are E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis or Candida, for example.
Main symptoms: The main symptoms associated with blood infection are fever, chills, decreased pressure, low heart rate, drowsiness. Learn how to identify the infection in your blood.
There are also several other less common types of hospital-acquired infections, which affect several areas of the body, such as the oral cavity, digestive tract, genitals, eyes or ears, for example. Any hospital infection must be quickly identified and treated with the appropriate antibiotics, to prevent it from aggravating and endangering the person’s life, so that in the presence of any signs or symptoms of this situation, the responsible doctor should be informed.
Anyone can develop an infection acquired in the hospital, but people with increased immune fragility are at increased risk, such as:
In addition, the higher the hospital stay, the greater the risk of contracting a hospital infection, as there is an increased risk of exposure to the risks and microorganisms responsible.