Nosocomial infections and infection control

DR.IHSAN EDAN ALSAIMARY

1. 1
Nosocomial Infections
and
Infection Control
Dr. Ihsan Edan Alsaimary
Department Of Microbiology
College Of Medicine –University Of Basrah
Iraq

2. 2
Nosocomial infections
(Hospital Acquired Infections)

3. 3
Most Common Types of Nosocomial
Infections
•These are infections that develop during hospitalization
and are present in patients at the time of admission.
•Most Common Types of Nosocomial Infections:
1. Urinary tract infections.
2. Surgical wound infections.
3. Lower respiratory Tract infections (primarily
pneumonia).
4. Bloodstream infections (septicaemia)

4. 4
Modes of Transmission of Infections
1. Contact:
-Directe.g., hands of hospital personnel.
-Indirecte.g., using contaminated
objects.
2. Contaminated vehiclesused in
common for patients e.g., instruments,
contaminated food, water, solutions,
drugs or blood products.
3.Airbornee.g., aerosol, droplets or dust.

5. 5
Modes of Transmission of Infections
(Cont’d)
4. Vector borne:e.g., mosquitoes.
5. Blood borne:inoculation injury or sexual
transmission e.g., HBV, HIV.

6. 6
Patients Most Likely to Develop
Nosocomial Infections
1.Elderly patients.
2.Women in labor and delivery.
3.Premature infants and newborns.
4.Surgical and burn patients.
5.Diabetic and cancer patients.
6.Patients receiving treatment with steroids,
anticancer drugs, antilymphocyte serum, and
radiation.

7. 7
Patients Most Likely to Develop
Nosocomial Infections (Cont’d)
7.Immunosupressed patients (I. e., patients whose
immune systems are not functioning properly)
8.Patients who are paralyzed or are undergoing renal
dialysis or catheterization; quite often, these
patient’s normal defence mechanisms are not
functioning properly)

8. 8
Major Factors Contributing to
Nosocomial Infections
1.An ever-increasing number of drug-resistant
pathogens.
2.Lack of awareness of routine infection control
measures.
3.Neglect of aseptic techniques and safety
precautions.
4.Lengthy complicated surgeries.
5.Overcrowding of hospitals.

9. 9
Major Factors Contributing to
Nosocomial Infections (Cont’d)
6.Shortage of hospital staff.
7.An increased number of
Immunosupressed patients.
8.The overuse and improper use of
indwelling medical devices.

10. 10
Infection Control

11. 11
Prevention of Nosocomial Infections
1.Education of hospital staff in:
-Hygiene in theatre, wards, kitchen…etc.
-Good surgical techniques.
-Frequent handwashing.
2.Proper sterilization and disinfection.
3.Special precautions and isolation of infective
patients.

12. 12
Prevention of Nosocomial Infections
(Cont’d)
4.Protective precautions for high risk
patients, e.g., Immunosupressed.
5.Conservative antibiotic use.
6.Surveillance of infections in the
hospital by infection control staff.