In this article we will describe what are the 5 most important hospital acquired infections (HAIs). First of all.
How common are HAIs?
Quite common. It is estimated that 5-10% of patients in an acute hospital have an HAI at any one time. The most common HAIs are surgical site infection, pneumonia and urinary tract infection, comprising 65% of all HAIs.
What is a healthcare-associated infection?
An HAI is an infection that develops as a result of medical care. This may occur in a hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, rehabilitation facility, or while receiving wound care services.
What causes them?
In order to develop an infection while receiving these services, bacteria must enter your body.
This can happen in many ways: through a wound, a device such as a catheter (e,g. in the bladder or bloodstream), or through the bowels, urine or lungs.
A patient may develop an infection in hospitals that are not as clean as they should be, or when medical or nursing staff fail to follow best practices in preventing HAIs.
So. What are the 5 most common causes of HAIs ( healthcare-acquired infections)
Some of the most common types of HAIs include the following:
1. Surgical site infection (SSI)
Infection develops either during or after a surgical procedure when bacteria enter the wound. Sometimes, these bacteria may also move to other sites and cause infection in the urine, blood, or lungs.
2. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
A pneumonia (bad lung infection) can develop when bacteria enter the nose or mouth and travel to the lungs. This can happen when a tube is inserted in the airway (to enable a patient to have their breathing taken over by a ventilator machine) .
3. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)
Infection develops either during or after placement of a urinary catheter. Urinary catheters can be placed in patients undergoing long surgical procedures who need assistance with passing urine, or those who are extremely ill. Bacteria enter the tubing and make their way into the bladder or kidneys.
4. Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)
Infection develops either during or after placement of a tube placed into a vein. This can be a simple IV line into a peripheral vein, or a central line into a major central vein. Both are normally placed to give fluids and medication. Bacteria enter the tubing and circulate in the blood.
5. ‘Superbugs’
Clostridioides difficile (‘C. diff’)
This is a bacteria in your intestines that’s normally harmless. However, using antibiotics or having an weakened immune system can cause overgrowth of these bacteria. This can lead to a colitis (colon inflammation), and is a very contagious form of diarrhoea.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
This is a bacteria that is resistant to common antibiotics like penicillin, amoxicillin and methicillin. Outside of healthcare facilities, MRSA is often harmless or causes a skin infection. Inside healthcare facilities, MRSA infections can be serious and may lead to death.
Other antibiotic resistant bacteria
Other viruses
Norovirus
Viral Hepatitis
This is a group of viral infections that affect the liver and are easily transmitted in healthcare facilities. There can be outbreaks on kidney dialysis units if good hygiene isn’t maintained.
We have described what are the 5 most important hospital acquired infections (HAIs). We hope it has been helpful.
This is a good pamphlet from the NHS in Scotland, and this is from the Sepsis Alliance.
