Diagnosis Infectious Disease - Healthcare associated Infections

5 important questions on Diagnosis Infectious Disease - Healthcare associated Infections

What is a healthcare-associated infection (HAI), and how common are they in the United States?

A healthcare-associated infection (HAI), also known as a nosocomial infection, is an infection acquired by a patient during a stay at a healthcare facility. In the United States, an estimated 10% of patients admitted to healthcare facilities acquire HAIs, and up to 2 million HAIs occur annually, resulting in approximately 75,000 deaths.

What are some common risk factors for acquiring infectious diseases in healthcare settings, as mentioned in Table 29.2?

Some common risk factors for acquiring infectious diseases in healthcare settings include patients being already ill or immunocompromised, newborn infants and the elderly (not fully immune competent), infectious disease patients (pathogen reservoirs), patient proximity (increases cross-infection), healthcare personnel (can transfer pathogens), medical procedures (breaching the skin barrier), surgery (exposes internal organs and causes stress), anti-inflammatory drug treatment (lowering resistance to infection), and antibiotic treatment (may select for resistant and opportunistic pathogens).

Why are healthcare facilities considered high-risk environments for the spread of infections?

Healthcare facilities are considered high-risk environments for the spread of infections because they concentrate individuals who have infectious diseases or are at risk due to underlying health conditions. These conditions often lead to compromised immune systems and increased susceptibility to pathogens.
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Which causative agent is highlighted as one of the most important and widespread HAI pathogens, and what challenges does it pose in healthcare settings?

Staphylococcus aureus is highlighted as one of the most important and widespread HAI pathogens. It is the most common cause of pneumonia, the third most common cause of blood infections, and is particularly problematic in nurseries. Many hospital strains of S. aureus are unusually virulent and resistant to common antibiotics, making treatment challenging.

How can the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) be achieved, and what role does infection control play in healthcare facilities?




  1. Prevention of HAIs requires cooperation between the healthcare facility infection-control team and the entire facility staff. This includes direct healthcare workers and supporting staff, such as housekeeping. Infection control starts with the management of incoming patients, assessing them for possible infections, and isolating as necessary. Periodic testing of healthcare personnel for key pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), can also identify healthy carriers. Standard procedures that limit infection, as outlined for laboratory technicians in Table 29.1, are applied throughout the healthcare facility.

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