What is hospital infection? How to prevent hospital infections

Like a normal outside environment, a hospital is also a place where people can develop infections, due to germs that are available or spread from others.

What is hospital infection?

Hospital infections (NKBV) are defined as infections acquired during a hospital stay and this infection is not present nor within the incubation period at the time of admission. Hospital infections usually appear after 48 hours after the patient is hospitalized.

Bacterial infections related to medical examination and treatment facilities are not only a professional quality index, but also a patient's safety index, an index to assess the compliance of health workers, only The number evaluates the effectiveness of management and is a very sensitive indicator for patients and society.

Hospital environment (air, soil, water and disease-mediating factors) has a great influence on hospital infections. The interaction between host (patient, medical staff .), microorganism and hospital environment has a decisive significance to the rate of hospital infections.

Hospital infection cycle.(Photo: 103 Military Hospital).

Where does hospital infection come from?

At health facilities, the source of infection can come from hospital staff, patients and senseless environments. Hospital environment, water or food may contain disease sources and cause disease outbreaks like in the outside community. Even pharmaceuticals can be contaminated during production or distribution.

Causes of hospital infections may arise from medical personnel carrying pathogens. They may or may not have external manifestations and transmit bacterial infections to patients.

However, the origin of most hospital infections is from patients with pathogenic microorganisms. These microorganisms are often released into the environment in large quantities, exceeding the minimum level of infection, and spreading the disease to others - these people will develop hospital infections.

Health workers often wash their hands to avoid spreading the infection.(Photo: KPCC).

Microorganisms can be released from the source to the new host through indirect contact, direct contact or through an infectious vector such as an insect, arthropods or parasites. In particular, the main route of infection of hospital infections is through indirect contact. Infected patients touch an object, device or surface and leave the bacteria here. Later, other patients touch them and may be infected.

The two main rules for preventing the spread of hospital infections in health facilities are isolating the source of the disease and eliminating the pathways of disease spread. Isolation of disease sources not only separates infected patients, but also sterilization techniques. Everything that comes into contact with a patient should be considered potentially infectious, should be removed (if it is disposable) or clean, disinfected or sterile (if it is reusable).

Who is susceptible to hospital infections?

Infants are the most at risk of infection and when infected, the mortality rate will be highest due to incomplete immune system. The death rate when infected with hospital infections can be up to 50%.

Bacteria always exist in the air, but they often do not cause disease. This bacterium will reside on a young body. When there is a procedure intervention, it will open the way for bacteria to enter the body causing infection. Children with severe diseases need more intervention, the risk of infection also increases.

People with weakened immune systems, surgical intervention, surgery . are easily infected with hospital infections.

Bacteria that usually reside on the human body are mainly on the skin, nose, throat, normally these bacteria do not cause disease. But when there are interventions, the pathway for bacteria to enter the human body causes infection. People with weakened immune systems, surgical intervention, surgery . are easily infected with hospital infections.

How to prevent hospital infections

Some measures to prevent infection when taking care of patients in hospitals according to WHO:

1. Handwashing
2. Use gloves
3. Use masks, glasses, masks
4. Wearing a blouse
5. Use hygienic medical equipment
6. Control hospital environment
7. Wash and disinfect items from fabrics