hospital-acquired infections

Hospital Acquired Infection/ Nosocomial Infection/ Health care Associated Infection

Hospital acquired or nosocomial infections are defined as infection developing in patients after admission to the hospital, which were neither present nor in incubation at the time of hospitalization.

Causes of Hospital Acquired Infection

1. Low immunity in highly susceptible to infection
2. Hospital environment; variety of pathogens through patient
3. Pathogen present in antiseptic lotion and ointments
4. Contaminated hospital water
5. Lapse in asepsis during diagnostic procedure
6. Contamination of hospital food
7. Sophisticated Medical technique enhance risk of infection.
8. Use of indwelling catheter
9. More infectious agent resistance due to overuse of antibiotics
10. Pathogen present in air dust and use contaminated equipment

Sources of Nosocomial Infections

1. People
2. Objects
3. Food
4. Air
5. Water

Common types of hospital Acquired Infection

1. Wound infection
2. Urinary tract infection
3. Respiratory infection
4. Neonatal infection
5. Bacteremia and septicemia
6. Other Nosocomial infection; skin and soft tissue infection

Modes of Transmission of Hospital Acquired infection

Type of HAIs Infection;

1. Endogenous or self Infection
2. Exogenous or cross infection and infection from environment

There are main modes of transmission;

1. Contact; direct and indirect mode
2. Vector borne
3. Endogenous; urinary tract infection caused by E.coli
4. Air borne
5. Droplet infection
6. Common vehicle
7. Nosocomial Infections
8. Immunocompromised patient

Mode of transmission

Air

Direct and indirect contact

Droplet; sneezing, coughing, talking

Endogenous

Common source

Vectors

Infected Reservoir

Infected individual

Colonized infected Individual

Skin at insertion site of vascular catheter

Periurethral skin and mucous membrane

Liquid substance in environment infected Individual

Skin puncture

Infectious material

Hospital staff

Inadequate Sterilizerld equipment

Source of infection

Air borne particle

Hand containing secretion from infected wound

Hand and fomites

Large respiratory droplets

Intravascular catheters

Urinary catheters

Contaminated IV fluids, donors contaminated blood products

Contaminated food, water

Flies, ant